


My Time With You

by Greylin_R



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Betrothal gift, Chief Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, F/M, Family, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson Fluff, Hiccup is stressed, Hiccups, Let's Get Astrid Laid, Older Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, POV Astrid Hofferson, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pregnant Astrid Hofferson, Protective Astrid Hofferson, future chieftess, low-key courting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:01:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 28,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26491597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Greylin_R/pseuds/Greylin_R
Summary: This story is Hiccstrid focused with minimal underlying plot (unless I decide otherwise). Chapters are not oneshots they all happen in sequence, but the focus is completely on Hiccstrid's relationship. Settle in for some fun, fluff, building families, and mild adult content.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	1. Before The Storm

This story takes place a year after HTTYD 2 and before HTTYD3, so I can inevitably change some things.

This story is Hiccstrid focused with minimal underlying plot (unless I decide otherwise). Chapters are not oneshots they all happen in sequence, but the focus is completely on Hiccstrid's relationship.

I have no idea how long this is going to be, but be known that I'm not one to write 50 chapter stories.

———

This is Berk, isolated from most of the Archipelago by towering sea stacks but also a lot due to the native people's charming Viking demeanor. Frozen for the better part of the year and hailing all the rest, the island has never been a vacation destination on anyone's travel list. Outsiders say the people who live here are crazy and maybe they're right, but to them, it couldn't have been more perfect.

The sun hadn't even begun its slow ascent over the horizon and Berk was moving. It was the ending of the season, winter was close and every single creature on the island could feel it in their bones, it was coming fast. But this time, they were ready. With the accumulation of dragons, there was no shortage of assistance in the preparations for winter. As the ice slowly yet surely set in, the dragons were a tremendous help as the final preparations took place. Which now mainly consisted of making sure that homes were sturdy enough to withstand the coming weather. Food had been gathered, supplies stocked, and now everyone was counting down the days to Snoggletog.

But not everyone was wrapped up in the hectic commotion. A certain warrior woman, with the days shorter and the weather even colder, was bundled up and enjoying the last few days she had left with a certain scaly dragon before she would inevitably leave to give birth, as all of the dragons migrated to do every year.

Stormfly was pregnant again this year, her fourth time in the six years they had been together. Certain warrior woman, Astrid Hofferson, was nothing short of amazed by this event every time. How could something this sacred and beautiful be so casual among dragons, she would never understand it. She had never once met Stormfly's babies, she would leave this year as she did the previous year and have her babies, and a few months later she would return, not a tiny dragon in tow. And this was normal.

A breeze passed through the furs she had draped over her shoulders before coming outside and she tugged them tighter blowing hot air into her cupped hands to warm her numbed fingers. Stormfly gave a soft caw from where she lay next to the Viking.

"I'm alright girl." Astrid rested her hand to her extended belly* gently and she eased, resting her giant head in the woman's lap as she leaned back comfortably against the stable wall.

With eyes closed, Astrid heard the telltale crunch of snow underfoot and the clink of metal on ice and a small smile spread across her face.

"If you've come to berate me, I'm in too good a mood to be bothered." She shot smugly.

"Me? Why never milady, what on earth would give you that impression." He returned just as smugly.

Astrid peeked open her eyes and squinted at Hiccup, not believing the young man in the slightest. He chuckled softly, moving to sit to her left, a small puff of smoke leaving the Nadders nose as he did so.

"How is she?" Hiccup asked softly his hand finding Astrid's beneath her furs and holding to her tightly.

"Nothing abnormal, I'm just going to miss her." She sighed resting her head to his shoulder.

Astrid couldn't believe it really, how much Hiccup had grown in the short time since Stoic... But an entire year was hardly enough time to forget a tragedy such as that. Hiccup had fallen into his turmoil and arose stronger from it. He was no longer Hiccup heir to the Chief of Berk, he was Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III Chief of Berk for god's sake. And yet always Hiccup to her. She clung tighter to him, wondering why her mind drifted as it did in such moments and finding amusement in it.

"How are you?" She piped up, splitting the silence like an ax to a log.

"Nothing abnormal." He quoted with a sly grin, but it faltered quicker than she expected. "Just... missing him."

Astrid felt guilty then and turned her head up to press a featherlight kiss to the hard edge of Hiccup's jaw. "You've done amazing so far." She assured him and he gave her a curt half-smile. "I mean it." She reached out to grab his opposite cheek and force him to look at her, and when she had his attention she pressed a kiss to his tin chapped lips, just long enough to have him relaxing into it before she pulled away.

"Astrid I-"

"Chief!" Someone's distressed call came from somewhere a few yards away. "Has anyone seen the Chief?"

"And a Chiefs duty's are never done." Hiccup sighed head hitting the back of the stable with a light thunk. He turned his captivating green eyes on her an almost pleading look in his gaze. "Meet me later? Please?"

"Of course." She assured him with a calming smile one that broke through the tension in his shoulders.

And with that, he heaved himself upright and took slow steps to find his balance again. He stopped just at the edge of the stable, turning back to give her a look.

"Please go inside soon, you're going to catch a cold." He warned in that way she had expected since he walked into her hiding space.

"And there it is!" She teased with gentle laughter to which he grumbled and finally left.

She sat in her place beside Stormfly for another minute or so, just to spite him, before she felt the need to warm herself inside.

———

Later on in the day when all had begun to quiet and the sun was vanishing from sight for the next couple of long hours, Astrid walked leisurely alongside her heavily pregnant Nadder towards Hiccup's house.

She had been incredibly relieved for him when after the battle with Drago and his Bewilder-beast, it had left Stoics house in complete ruin and in need of total reconstruction. But, with her guidance, Hiccup had ultimately decided to tear it down and rebuild his house in a different location about 30 yards further from town than the original Chief hut had been.

She stopped at the stables and made sure Stormfly was settled in Toothless' double-wide stable, before entering the house. As expected, no one was home. Hiccup was often the last to retire to his warm bed at the end of the day. Although sometimes when Astrid would visit Valka would be here, whether just nosing around or tidying up after her busy and not entirely organized son.

Today though, the house was empty, and it seemed that Valka had been too busy to stop by in quite a while as Hiccups little messes were taking over. She took it upon herself to step in and make herself useful. It wasn't like much it was much anyways; some Chiefly looking papers here and there, a bowl or two, a half-empty mug, a scattering of scales from toothless. She sat down on a small stool to clean the bowls and mug in the washbasin by the hearth.

She hadn't even been there long when the door opened and the familiar sound of step-clink filled the main room.

"Ah, Astrid you didn't have to do that." Was Hiccup's greeting, classic Hiccup.

"It wasn't much, and besides I don't mind helping you out every once in a while." She smiled softly glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, dedicated to the task at hand.

"Yeah but I don't like it, I don't even like it when Valka does it. Makes me feel like some sort of irresponsible kid." Hiccup mussed his hair as he spoke, hostility lacing his words.

Astrid didn't comment, though she wanted to. Boohoo, your mom missed out on the first 20 years of your life and wants to make up for it by taking care of you. But she didn't, not when he was still bordering on such a fragile state. Any other occasion and she would have, and Hiccup would have found her sarcasm funny, but she could see how visibly tense and exhausted beyond belief he was. But that's why he'd asked her to come.

"Where's Toothless?" She asked softly, wiping her hands on her leggings and standing from her seated position.

"Outside, keeping Stormfly company." He breathed out as he stretched his arms high above his head and yawned.

"Bed?" She was standing directly in front of him now, placing a hand on his waist rubbing her fingers soothingly over the leather of his flight suit.

"Yeah." He breathed once more before taking her lead up the stairs to his bedroom.

It wasn't the first time that they had done anything like this, but it had definitely been a while and was much needed on both parties. Hiccup visibly relaxed at the sight of his bed and Astrid could admit she felt similarly.

Hiccup shed his flight suit quickly and tugged off his white under tunic in a similar manner before collapsing onto the soft** pallet on his bed. Astrid took her time removing her fur and shoulder plates as well as her spiked skirt and boots. She also undid her braid, letting the mess of wavy hair fall freely onto her shoulders.

"Hiccup." She nearly giggled at the sight of the man face up, laying sprawled out, chest naked pants still on, with a shoe half off and metal leg still on. "Your shoe." She pointed out and he half-heartedly kicked it the rest of the way off.

Rolling her eyes at his theatrics she took it upon herself to remove the gadget that kept his leg in place, the injury of so many years ago finally no longer affecting her the way it had for so long.

Astrid climbed into bed beside him reveling in the warmth that always radiated off of him and sighing. She laid down fully, resting her head just above his shoulder so her face could nestle into his neck.

"Hiccup?" She asked but was left with no response, and by his soft intake of breath, he was already long asleep.

Astrid propped herself up once more to be certain and found that he really was asleep. Not that she minded, he needed the sleep. She reached a hand out to smooth his furrowed brow before leaning in close, her nose bumping with his.

"I love you, Hiccup Haddock." Astrid has only ever said this to him once before, always too scared for some completely irrational reason, but she made up for it in the passion in which she always spoke these words. And they were meant for him and him alone in these quiet moments, whether he was conscious of them or not.

With a single kiss peppered to his sleeping face, she blew out the lamp and fell asleep in complete darkness, warmed by the proximity of her lover.

———

*Dragons incubate their eggs while in such temperatures and wait till they are in the much warmer nesting grounds before laying them

**They finally figured out how to make a sort of mattress from a mixture of down feathers and sheep's wool covered in thick linen.


	2. Chasing Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astrid is forced to see that she is being recognized as future chieftess. Hiccup has a melt down, Astrid tries to comfort... Astrid has a meltdown.

How dare you asume I would include adult content so early in my beloved Hiccstrid Fic!

The bright mid-morning sun did nothing to subdue the cold that had settled into the room overnight. It cast a harsh white light through the shutters that drew the resting Vikings from their peaceful sleep just as much as the morning chill. Astrid missed the summer mornings then when a softer light would cascade over her skin and warm her much like the licks of the flames in a fire.

Forcing her eyes open she winced at first then slowly tried a second time to take in her surroundings. Hiccup was still asleep, now rolled over onto his stomach clutching a pillow close. She laid curled into his side, her head resting on his bicep as he slept peacefully, his natural warmth spreading into the areas where their skin touched.

Astrid grinned to herself at the sight of his mused auburn hair and the tiny bit of drool clinging to the corner of his mouth. His peaceful state of being was something that relieved her to no end as of late. He worked too hard most days and took his job as Chief too seriously in her opinion. She figured she could let him sleep a while longer and realized then that she would be content to watch his sleeping face for hours.

But as luck would have it her stomach rumbled its demand for food and she was forced to rise from the comfort of Hiccup's presence. She dressed and put on her furs leisurely, embracing the stillness of the morning. As Astrid turned to leave she leaned down against her partner's ear to whisper.

"I'm going to breakfast." And placed a kiss to said ear.

Hiccup grumbled in response but didn't make to move any further as Astrid closed the door behind herself. As she walked out the front door and past the stables she found it empty and by the sights from the village below, they had found similar results upon waking this morning. The dragons were gone, and she felt a pang of bittersweet sadness in the back of her mind.

At the Great Hall, a few had already gathered for the first breakfast. Gobber, Spitelout and Gustav, Ertet son of Eret, and of course Fishlegs all sat together at a table nearest the back of the room closest to the Chief's table. She got herself a steaming plate of porridge from the large cooking pot in the center of the room and made to sit with her companions.

"Astrid!" Gobber greeted firstly. "Good mornin' to ya lass."

"Morning too you too Gobber." She replied taking a slice from the loaf bread Eret was cutting up.

The men of the table talked quite a bit of nonsense before the rest of the group showed up. Too much of which Astrid could only shake her head or roll her eyes in utter amusement. Gobber did talk a lot though about the continued renovations from the previous year, slowing down with the first snow predicted by Bucket to be arriving in less than a fortnight. It was best to fix what they already had before they went and built new buildings to ration supplies.

Yes, this meant Berk would be all but shut down for the first rough leg of the winter season when the weather was at its thickest and it was a blessing to even make it out most mornings. Though Astrid couldn't be entirely disappointed. With Stormfly gone it meant that she would have a bit of time to just herself and of course Hiccup if he would have her. Most of her winters were spent that way anyways.

"Why good morning my fellow compadres." Tuff Nut eloquently greeted as he took a seat aside Fishlegs and his twin beside Astrid.

Much to prior belief, Ruff had turned out to be the more matured one of the set, still devoted to the god Loki first and foremost, but less than her brother and more bearable to be around. It had surprisingly lead to a great friendship between the two female riders.

"How goes it my good friend Astrid?" Ruff smirked taking a slice of bread as it was passed around, she bit into the fresh slice and chewed it obnoxiously and open-mouthed.

"Nothing to complain about. Had a great night's sleep and wasn't woken by any rowdy terrible terrors, so there's that." She supplied with a smile.

"Sleeping well... could it be because of a certain Chief?" Ruff waggled her eyebrows accusingly to which Astrid rolled hers.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She spoke slyly.

"Of course you do, Tuff saw you walking up to Hiccups late last night, duh Astrid." Ruff explained her suspicions dumbly.

"Oh really?"

"You know you don't have to act so secretively around us my dear Astrid." Eret cut in and when Astrid turned to face him he was leaning on his elbow, having been listening in on their every word. "As the future Chieftess, you're bound to wind up in your beloved's bed every once in a while. Thor only knows how difficult it is to stay true to traditions when you've been together as long as you and Chief have."

"Whoa slow down there, Hiccup and I- we haven't- I don't-" she stumbled embarrassed over her words. "We just sleep together!"

The hall went still and she cursed herself to a slow and painful death.

"What I mean is..." she cleared her throat, fighting back the blush that warmed her face. "We sleep in the same bed, but it's just that, sleeping." She gave Eret a look to which he smirked. "Now drop it before I club you."

Only when Eret finally dropped it and moved back to his conversation with an extremely uncomfortable Gobber and Spitelout, did Astrid let out a long breath.

Future Chieftess...

"Oh, and speaking of Snoggletog, Astrid can I get your help with the decorations again this year?" Gobber thankfully pulled her out of her mind before her thoughts could get away from her.

"Of course, I'd be glad to." She nodded and occupied herself to the task of finishing her now lukewarm porridge.

.

Hiccup was still fast asleep back at his house, not stirring a bit as Astrid reentered the room more than an hour later. She set her ax to the wall before taking a seat on the edge of the bed Hiccup was facing.

He flinched at the shift in position and his eyebrows furrowed, the frown he was sleeping with deepening. At first, Astrid thought he was just upset at having been disturbed. But as he continued to shift restlessly and the creases in his face deepened in his distress she realized he was caught in another nightmare.

"Hiccup. It's time to wake up." Astrid rubbed his shoulder softly trying to ease him from the dream slowly and partially on his own accord.

"Don't..." he mumbled softly, helplessly, under the quickening of his breath.

"Hic, it's me... Astrid. Wake up." She felt terrible that he had to go through this, ever since Stoic...

He struggled some more and she went to place another steadying touch to his trembling shoulder. In an instant, he snapped up, and with a force she was unaware that he was capable of took a bruising hold on her wrist. The fear in his vivid green eyes was enough to chill her.

She didn't know this Hiccup, the one who fought himself mentally and held guilt and resent close to his heart. It frightened her, more than she would ever dare admit. With her pulse thundering in her ears she managed to choke past the lump in her throat.

"B-babe?"

His eyes softened and glazed over with hot tears. He trembled harder and his grip became slack enough for her to move away if she wished. She didn't move an inch.

"Astrid-" He sobbed and her heart wrenched painfully in her chest.

"It's ok." She coaxed shakily finding his face and holding him up to look at her.

Tears flowed endlessly down his freckled cheeks and he struggled for breath in his panic. Knowing there wasn't much she could do but let him ride this out she pulled him close, resting her head atop his and physically moving them so he was practically on her lap as she sat up against the headboard.

"I'm so sorry!" He cried, muffled by her shirt that had become damp under his torrents.

She hushed him and kissed the top of his head, continuously running her fingers through his hair and rubbing at the bare skin of his shoulders that shook with every harsh breath. She could only hope that as he laid there on her chest he wouldn't hear her still thundering heart because she knew he would blame himself for scaring her and not because she was a coward.

.

After hours of just sitting there, calming him, easing him back into what was sure to be a most restless sleep, Astrid took leave. Hoisting up her ax she ventured far out into the wooded area surrounding Berk, somewhere she knew no sounds would carry back home.

She let out a battle cry, flying forwards with her ax poised, the sharp blade cutting deeply into the trunks of one of the nearest thick trees. She tugged, but it was lodged deep and didn't give despite all her pulling.

She found her fingers trembling once more as she took a better hold on the handle and yanked it free. She adjusted her grip before charging once more. She sliced and hacked into the poor tree endlessly, her attacks sloppy and uncoordinated. Extremely un-Astrid-like.

And she thought if only there was some way to take this pain away from him and manifest it as her own. If he could settle and be the Chief he wanted himself to be, the Chief he saw in his father. If only... if only he had been able to kill a dragon.

Shaking herself from that mindless thought she scolded herself. It wasn't right to say that. Toothless meant everything to Hiccup, had changed him- no, all of Berk for the better. There was no way she could-would ever imagine a world where they had remained in that pointless state of kill or be killed.

But Hiccups pain... she wanted if gone. Wanted to personify it and kill it where it stood with its fierce hold on her- on Hiccup.

With this swing, she splintered the handle of her favorite ax.

"Shit." She cursed, biting her lips as her first instinct was to go to Hiccup.

He had done this to her. Made her so upside down about herself and her feelings.

She screamed once more.


	3. Follow Through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup is forced to take a break. Feelings happen.

She headed back late, her shoulders drawn tight, her muscles aching, and so incredibly tired. Too tired to even think about her empathy towards Hiccup and set in her mind that he was going to hold her this time until she fell asleep. Not that it would take much time anyway

She stopped as she came upon the house, he had candles lit and she could see his pacing movements in the shadows from the upper floor. Placing her split ax by the door she went inside and was greeted by a hyper Night Furry.

"Toothless." She gasped dropping down to her knees In front of the large reptile, feeling sorry that she hadn't even been thinking about his need to go flying.

If Hiccup hadn't left the house all day then he most certainly had not taken his dragon flying. She climbed the steps to his room and opened the door at the end of the short hallway. Sure enough, he was pacing, muttering under his breath, his night tunic open at the deep v-collar and auburn hair a mess.

"Hiccup." Astrid called for him but he continued towards his desk stopping at the papers there and gazing at them with hazy eyes.

"Not now Astrid." He spoke quietly, throat as sore as her own.

"Hiccup." She said again, sternly this time, and his eyes met hers. Finally. "What are you doing?" Her voice was helpless.

"Work. I slept all day, there's so much to do... I can't believe I slept all day!" Hiccup slammed a single fist into the wood surface of his desk, papers flying from under his hand.

Astrid didn't shrink, she would not shrink in his presence. Not now, not ever, not when he needed her to be strong. She was his general, his girlfriend, but most importantly his friend.

She took his hand in her own, laying a kiss to the redness of his knuckles. Delicate and careful in her every movement. His eyes watched her and waited for what felt like an eternity before she spoke again.

"Come fly with me."

"Astrid-"

"No." She snapped. "If not for your own sake then do it for Toothless." She tilted her head towards the dragon who had not-so-sneakily followed her up the stairs.

Hiccup's shoulders sagged and she knew a part of him desperately wanted to go, to be in the air and to get a clear head, if only for a moment. And without any further nagging from the part of him that wanted to devote an unreasonable amount of time to his Chiefdom, he followed her.

He was dressed for bed now, in his calf-length trousers and billowing nightshirt that exposed a good portion of his chest to the frigid night air. He was barefoot as well as they left the house, but he was going to ride his dragon not take a walk through the village.

Astrid stopped a few feet from the night fury who shifted anxiously on his feet. She wanted to go too, but she figured it'd be best to let the boys have their moment. And besides, she was incredibly exhausted already.

Only, when Hiccup mounted and looked back at her, she found herself moving forward again. And Hiccup found his hand extending out to capture hers. Astrid mounted behind him and wrapped her arms tight around his middle.

They began their quick ascent, Toothless wasting no time -or having the patience- before they were soaring high above Berk. They circled the island a few times all in a matter of minutes and to the point where the dragon was breathing heavily beneath their legs. The wind whipped at both of their hair, making Hiccup's eyes water slightly while Astrid shielded herself behind his shoulders.

Then the dragon slowed and carefully Astrid's arms fell slack and she leaned against Hiccup's back peacefully. Hiccup raised his arms out to the side, closing his eyes and enjoying the way the wind tore at him. He smiled against the sting in his thoroughly chapped lips and hollered loudly into the quiet night. He lowered his arms with a pounding heart, and feeling more alive than he had in weeks -and he hadn't even jumped from Toothless' back.

Hiccup was awakened by the sights around him and his problems so far below him. Now, the moon and all the stars in the sky had is every ounce of attention. And where there had been hardly any clouds, it started to snow.

The white flecks fell and melted quickly on his skin, and Toothless voiced his displeasure at the wet cold droplets in the form of a frustrated warble. It fell thicker, sticking in his hair and freezing the already cold thin sheen of sweat on his skin.

"Astrid you have to look at this!" He laughed turning in the saddle to see that the blonde had fallen asleep and was lightly snoring into the back of his tunic. Snow stuck to her delicate lashes and lightened the already light color of her hair.

He brushed the flakes from her eyelids with a swipe from his coarse fingertips.

Figuring they had circled enough for Toothless to be good and tired, he directed the dragon slowly back down to the island. And for the first time in a while, the task didn't seem so foreboding.

Minding Astrid, he lifted himself from the saddle and lifted her, never once taking his hands off her or letting her fall. As lithe as her figure was, she wasn't exactly light the last time he tried to do this. Carrying her bridal style now, he commended himself for not struggling -as much- on the way back up to his room.

Removing her armor and furs shouldn't have been a hard task. Hel, he wasn't even revealing anything more than her shoulders and forearms. But the thought of leaving Astrid defenseless, and having her trust enough that she would so much as fall asleep near him, was an honor that one should step back and appreciate.

Once she was comfortable and situated under the covers, Hiccup blew out every lantern save one. He turned to his dragon companion who circled his heated rock bed and laid down quietly.

"Goodnight bud." He whispered before moving to his desk and getting to work, with a cleared head and a new sense of resolve. And it was all thanks to Astrid.

[Chief Hut]

The sun was just as harsh as the morning before. Blinding as Astrid woke from a particularly nice dream, and yet this morning felt different.

She tried to move but found her body unresponsive.

Astrid's mind immediately jumped to the worst conclusion; she'd fallen off of Toothless when she fell asleep last night and Hiccup hadn't been able to get to her in time. Was she paralyzed? Where her bones shattered but she was still in shock and not feeling any pain? Was she dead?

But once she opened her eyes and took a minute to breathe, she realized it was just Hiccup. She was buried in several layers of fur before Hiccup had thrown his arm and leg over her body, effectively trapping her beneath him.

"Hiccup?" She whispered, not wanting to wake the sleeping Night Fury, but also just wanting to make Hiccup move so she could leave and he could get back to sleep.

"Sleep." Hiccup grumbled at her in response.

"It's morning." She grinned, unable to help herself. "What happened to having things to do?"

"Don't want to." He groaned and buried his face deeper into her shoulder.

She giggled and flushed under his attention.

"I stayed up late." He admitted softly.

"Yeah? Doing what?" She questioned knowingly.

"Work." He grumbled again.

She laughed, effectively and rather rudely, waking Toothless. The dragons huffed, fixing her with a stern glare -one she felt was reserved for her- and stormed out of the room and down the stairs, knocking some of Hiccups things over as he went.

"Moody oversized lizard." Hiccup complained half-heartedly, his gap-toothed smile decorating his face.

Astrid laughed again and for the life of her couldn't remember ever in her life waking up so... happy. It warmed her from the inside and she managed to turn in Hiccups lazy embrace to face him. They were inches apart now, breath fanning over the other's face on every exhale.

"Cold?" Hiccup wondered, if not for any other excuse but to make conversation.

"Not at all." She smiled in response.

"You missed it." He began. "Snowed last night, pretty much all night. I wouldn't doubt it if there were several feet already."

"I love the snow." Astrid replies offhandedly, caught in his green orbs.

"I know you do. Me on the other hand, can't stand the cold." He shivered, squeezing her closer.

"I know." She rolled her eyes. "Get In here if you're so cold." She ushered squirming till he moved enough for her to raise the furs so he could join her.

Astrid shivered as their skin touched. Where hers had been warm his was unbearably cold. Nearly to the point where she flinched every time they touched. But she took his hands in hers anyway and tangled her legs with his, trying to warm the appendages.

"You're so cold." She snickered as she blew her hot breath onto his hands holding them tightly.

Hiccup was quietly watching her much like he had done the night before when she kissed his hands. So she did it again, a delicate press of her chapped lips to his rough skin and she was heated all over again.

His hands left hers, their slightly less coldness settling on her cheeks and pulling her close. Astrid squirmed under his touch because he so rarely touched her like this, it was too easy to predict what was coming.

Hiccup kissed her nose, which scrunched up as he did so, and then her cheek, her forehead, her temple, her hair. She was becoming frustrated, how could he tease like this when it had been so long.

"Will you please!" She demanded and Hiccup moved back to stare at her. She clasped the hands the held her face, rubbing her thumbs over the skin there. "Please... kiss me."

Hiccup wasn't one to be told twice, especially with Astrid. He placed a single much too gentle peck to her lips and she chased it as he backed away again.

"You ass." She shuttered, eyes falling shut.

Hiccup smiled smugly at her, admiring the slight scrunch at the bridge of her nose and the way her blonde brows furrowed together in her frustration. But there was only so much luck one could ever have with teasing Astrid, so he kissed her and lingered there.

She melted under his hands like yak butter, her falsely delicate frame pressing into his forcefully as she wrapped her arms under his own. His hands moved to grip her hair mashing their faces closer for a moment before he eased them into something gentler.

Their lips worked together in perfect sync, tongues too timid to do much more than touch tips or press to the other's lips. It was shy and awkward, with little practice, but it couldn't have been more perfect huddled there in the warmth of Hiccup's bed.

He pulled away sharply, taking a deep breath through his nose and exhaling out his mouth. She did the same and opened her eyes to see him already staring at her.

"Astrid Hofferson, I love you, so much." Hiccup searched her icy blue eyes longingly.

"I-I love you too Hic." Astrid flushes nearly change-wing-red.

As I said, it couldn't have been more perfect.


	4. Pathetic? Maybe so.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astrid has a talk with her mother.

In reality, only a couple inches of snow had accumulated that night barely reaching the front stoop outside the Haddock house. The real downfall came not a week later, the reasonably sized blizzard trapping the people of Berk in their homes for the better half of a day.

Astrid had spent that day with her mother, Brenna, making decorations for Snoggletog in the light of their small fireplace. Her father had been shoveling out a clearing at their door for most of the morning and laid in his chair fast asleep as he thawed out.

"Dustin!" Brenna called loudly and the large man didn't so much as flinch. She turned to her daughter with a suspicious gleam in her eye. "You've been away a lot lately. Is there any particular reason?"

"I was with Hiccup." Astrid replied focused on her brushstrokes over the whittled piece of wood, in the shape of her nadder. "He's been stressed beyond belief lately, I think it's because we're coming up on the year since... everything." There was a whole room hesitation, where even her father's breaths seemed to halt for the moment.

"I see, then nothing is going on?" Brenna leaned closer gesturing suggestively to her daughter.

"Mom!" Astrid shrieked a fiery blush across her face and down to her chest. "No! Why on earth would you think that." She whispered harshly, mindful of her father even though she knew the man would not wake even if a skrill was at their front door.

"You're a grown woman Astrid and Hiccup is a grown man now. Anybody would question a young couple such as yourselves spending the nights together. People already have." The way Brenna said it was as if to make it not a big deal.

"They are?" Astrid visibly paled, knowing good and well that rumors spread like wildfire on this island.

"Yes, so I thought I would clarify so I could dismiss the accusation truthfully before they got out of hand." Brenna explained. "So nothing is going on?"

"No!" Astrid yelped.

"So you're waiting till marriage?"

"Marriage-?"

"Because I wish you would, I know it's hard, but it's traditional to save yourself for your wedding night." Brenna continued. "But you know that." She placed a hand on her daughter's thigh giving it a comforting squeeze.

Taken by surprise Astrid replied: "Right." And her mother smiled approvingly.

But she hadn't even talked to Hiccup about any of this. There was never a need to at least. And was it even the time to be talking about it? It all suddenly felt so soon, too soon for any of this. I mean they had been officially dating for 4 years now and normally by then, a couple was well on their way into the engagement process. Oddly enough, the thought disappointed her, Hiccup had been the only one to give a gift during the betrothal at the beginning of their relationship.

Of course, betrothal was an off-handed term, it was more like an officiation rather than a lifelong commitment. Plenty of people broke up after their betrothal. The thought unsettled her.

The telltale whistle of a flying Night Fury drew her from her thoughts and she listened intently as several blasts sounded at once, one directly at her front door.

Her father's snoring came to a shuttering halt as the burly man rose to his feet, ax in hand.

"Ah What now." Dustin grumbled And reached for the door, yanking it open harshly.

She was prepared for the wall of snow blocking the entry and to have some light come through the little hole her father had finally chipped away, not for the ice wall to be completely melted and her door smoldering on the outside. Laughing to herself at her father's obvious displeasure at the need for a brand new door, she rose from her seat and stretched.

"I think we got a fair amount of work done." She nodded proudly at the 5 filled baskets, only one basket left for them to paint before giving them back to Gobber to hang around the village. "I should be off then."

"Astrid Hofferson you give your mother a kiss!" Brenna called from her chair and the blonde rolled her eyes at her childish mother, obeying her wishes and leaning in to place a kiss to her rounded cheek.

She bounded out of the house purposely brushing shoulders with her father but not saying much else, he gave her a small wave in response though.

Astrid quickened her pace towards the great hall where Hiccup landed Toothless and expertly dismounted the beast.

"You've freed us! My hero!" She called once in earshot and relished in the faint smirk it brought to his lips, without him even having glanced at her.

"Why anything for you Milady!" Hiccup bowed dramatically, though quickly rising and opening his arms up just in time to catch the quick-moving blonde.

She crashed into his arms and he welcomed her, holding on tightly. He nuzzled her shoulder, breathing in her wooded scent, and relishing in her warmth that blocked out the frigid air.

"Gods, it's pathetic that it's not even been a day and I missed you this much." Hiccup groaned softly giving her another squeezing embrace.

"Pathetic..." Astrid trailed off messing with the two braids at the nape of his neck, she also noticed he was wearing his father's fur coat that seemingly fit him just right, though he had probably altered it in some way, though maybe not with how large it looked on him. "Yes, but in a sweet and endearing way." She pulled back to give him a wide grin, to which he scowled at her.

"You little..." his fingers danced along the base of her spine eliciting harsh laughter from her chest, she shrieked and squirmed but to no avail. His arms held her tightly to his frame.

"Uhm, I hate to interrupt this joyous reunion but in case you forgot we have some real work to do."

Hiccup turned to see his stout cousin, the one and only Snotlout, giving them a bored look as he crossed his arms impatiently.

"How could I forget when you're always there to remind me." Hiccup groaned sarcastically and Astrid couldn't help but snicker.

"Because I'm the responsible one, now come on the twins are waiting let's- Hookfang!" Snotlout shrieked chasing after his rebellious dragon as the Monstrous Nightmare took to the sky.

Hiccup's attention fell back to the woman in his arms, a longing look in his eyes "I should probably go." Their arms fell slack around each other but they remained close.

With an expectant look from Astrid, Hiccup chuckled and leaned in to press a firm kiss to her cheek, and another for good measure to the corner of her mouth. Satisfied, Astrid smiled and watched as her one-legged-Viking-counterpart mounted his dragon and took off after Hookfang with his rider in Toothless' clutches.


	5. Snoggletog!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Snoggletog! Theres family and mead and moms invading personal boundaries. And finally, tradition is challenged.
> 
> MATURE CONTENT!

In the coming day, the Snoggletog celebration was in full swing. The children set out their helmets, people were nicer to each other, and their mead rations steadily drained. The atmosphere was lighter, everyone was happier, and things felt normal for once within the past year.

Aside from popular belief, the Hoffersons were one of the most festive families on the island, that being after Gobber of course. Each Hofferson had loved Snoggletog with a passion making it a goal to give the best gifts every year. But Astrid was the worst gift-giver in the history of gift-giving.

Most years she would forego the gift and write little letters for her parents, telling them how much she appreciated and loved them, but they were her parents, they had an obligation to like whatever she gave them. Hiccup on the other hand...? Oh boy was she screwed.

"What could you possibly give a man who has a bloody dragon, can sew his own clothing, and just lost his father?!" Astrid exclaimed receiving a low warble from said bloody dragon who had taken it upon himself to stay by his human's mate when she was being overly emotional. "Exactly! Absolutely nothing!" She slumped back in her chair defeated and Toothless rested his big head on her lap, purring comfortingly.

Astrid sighed stroking the scales by his ears in appreciation. "Thanks, Toothless... it means a lot really, I just want to get him something special. Gods know how badly I screw up simply trying to do that." She recalled the incidents quite a few years ago with Meatlug's eggs, thank god Toothless had missed that one, otherwise he'd know what a real screw up she was.

On the other side of the island, Hiccup was seeing to the final preparations of Snoggletog, specifically for the feast to be taking place a few hours from now. Thankfully it would keep him busy most of the day so Astrid had plenty of time to finally decide on his gift.

She shot a guilty look to the clearly bored out of his mind dragon and let out a deep sigh. Toothless stirred, his green eyes looking up to at her hopefully.

"Let's go flying." She smiled and the giant lizard bounded out of her bedroom window, tail wagging.

Maybe this would clear her head and give her a fresh look at the issue.

The flying did indeed not clear her creative block. She got wrapped up in testing just how fast the Night Fury could go and was thoroughly impressed, but too wrapped up in that aspect of flying to give her gift any thought whatsoever.

By the time she landed her mother was dragging her away to bathe and be dressed for tonight's feast.

The minuscule bathing tub her family owned was just big enough for her to fit in scrunched up in a tiny ball. She couldn't even begin to or wanted to, imagine how in Thor's name her father bathed in this tub.

The water was freezing, her mother blaming it on the fact that it had been sitting for hours waiting on her to get back, but Astrid had half the mind to think her mother hadn't left the water on long enough again. The blonde let out a swear as her mother dumped a bucket of slightly warmer water on her head. She effectively looked like a drowned rat and toothless chuckled heartily from his corner of the room.

She was dried and dressed in her holiday shirt, a tight, maroon, long sleeve top the same texture as her blue one, her fur arm wraps, her basic armor, and a fur, hooded shawl her mother had gifted her that morning for Snoggletog. And of course her longer leggings, armored skirt, and fur-lined boots.

Comfortable and warm she allowed her mother to braid her hair back, as usual, her bangs pulled away from her face. Brenna made a quiet comment on how grown up her daughter looked, but nothing more was said on Astrid's appearance as she turned to the ever so patiently waiting dragon.

"Come on Toothless, let's go find Hiccup." She smiled and he followed loyally at her side.

They found him in his Hut, already dressed in his Chiefs dress, tying the large belt around his narrow hips. The fur he wore on his shoulders was definitely altered she decided as she recalled the width of Stoic's shoulders compared to his son's.

Astrid cleared her throat to announce herself and Toothless approached with barely contained enthusiasm. Hiccup's face instantly lit up.

"Hey bud! Where have you been all day?" He cooed scratching the dragons head as he purred merrily. Hiccup lifted his head to smile towards her. "I trust you two had a good day?"

Astrid tried not to let the guilt of not having his gift get to her.

"Going on a flight, laughing at my misery, the usual." She grinned smugly to which Toothless smacked his gums mockingly.

Hiccup laughed, a full-hearted laugh leaving his cheeks rosy from the cold and the normalcy. It put Astrid at ease.

"Shall we?" Hiccup extended an arm out to her in invitation which she gladly took. With arms locked together and shoulders pressing insistently he led them from the house and out towards the Great Hall.

Many had already gathered inside or were wishing seasons greetings on the steps leading up. They smiled warmly to their Chief offering happy wishes on this Snoggletog. It was loud and chaotic, but it was a Viking celebration, and they both expected it to be no other way.

Normally the chief would make a speech to kick off the festivities, but everyone was already about and the mead was flowing. Even Valka had a pleasant flush to her cheeks as she sat with Brenna at one of the long tables.

"Ah! Hiccup!" Valka called, waving him over.

Sparing Astrid an apologetic glance they separated, but a part of her wished they hadn't... not even in this room full of people.

"Mom," He began as he took a seat beside her and Astrid on her mother's left.

"Oh don't Stoic, it's-" She caught herself. Much too late, but the look of utter shame spoke for itself. "I'm sorry Hiccup, I-I didn't mean... you're just so much like him at times." She caressed her son's cheek lovingly and he smiled despite the feelings welling up inside him.

"Can I get you mead?" Astrid directed to Hiccup and he smiled at her.

"Ale?" He made a gesture for a very small amount and Astrid nodded, he hated the sickly sweet taste of the honey mead.

"Be a dear and top your father off as well?" Brenna patted her forearm as she stood and gestured to her father who sat beside Snotlout with her baby cousin Alin on his lap.

"Sure mom." She smiled and made her way over to grab her father's mug.

"There's my girl!" He called before she was even halfway across the room. "Come to help your old man out?" He held up his mug to her and she accepted it into her hand.

"Of course." She smiled and patted her father's shoulder.

Alin squirmed and whimpered from his place on Dustin's lap. The man cooed at him and bounced the two-year-old roughly on his knee, to which the baby silenced.

"You mind taking him with you for a quick walk?" Dustin asked his daughter hopefully understanding his daughter's aversion to children.

"Sure." She agreed, much to both her and her father's surprise.

Dustin set little Alin down and Astrid took his hand as he walked closely beside her towards the barrels. She filled her father's pint first, to nearly spilling over, before she reached for the Chiefs mug which sat on a shelf near the alcohol, it was a rather large mug, so Astrid didn't fill it up much more than a quarter of the way.

Alin dutifully followed his older cousin back towards Dustin, his little hands clasping onto the hem of her skirt with her hands being full.

"Thank you, daughter!" Dustin bellowed, the man could handle his drink on most occasions, but when mixed with festivities he was a bit obnoxious.

Alin tugged at her skirt urgently reaching up towards her with a tiny whimper. Begrudgingly, Astrid lifted him to rest on her hip, all one-handed might I add. And the little boy was enthralled at being held by his cousin.

Across the hall Hiccup's eyes trained on the sight of Astrid and her cousin, if not for the deep brown of his little eyes he looked nearly exactly like her. Blonde hair and lean physiques ran in the Hofferson side of the family, but from whatever other family Brenna had come from blue eyes, and even lighter hair was even more common.

The sight of her talking to her father with a baby on her hip was captivating and for some reason Hiccup couldn't be brought to pry his eyes away from the sight.

"Well well, looks like Astrid's got a little bugger of her own." Gobber plopped drunkenly down onto the bench beside Hiccup.

The young Chief flinched at having been caught.

"That's Alin, my husband's nephew." Brenna clarified to the completely wasted man.

"Little Alin?!" He exclaimed. "Last I saw him he was but a wee babe." Gobber pinched his fingers together dramatically as if trying to comprehend the growth of the child.

"Yes, he has gotten quite big in this past year." Brenna sighed thoughtfully.

"Don't they all." Valka touched Hiccup's shoulder and smiled towards Astrid and Alin.

"You know the village is going to be needin' an heir soon enough."

"Gobber." Valka shook her head in exasperation.

"Better get on that boy." He laughed smacking the back of Hiccups head roughly.

"What?" Hiccup all but shrieked a blush fanning over his face.

"He's kidding son." Valka shot a meaningful look at the drunken fool. "You have all the time you need."

"Yes, there's no sense in rushing anything." Brenna backed warmly.

"And Hiccup, I know some of the kids..." she looked to Snotlout who had been trying to make a move on Ruffnut all night. "They rush about things in all the wrong ways, it's ok to... wait till marriage-"

"Are we really having this conversation?" Hiccup chuckled nervously, glancing towards Brenna.

"It's serious Hiccup." Brenna snapped. "You have to take this seriously and know what you want. I know how hormonal all of you teenagers can be."

"He's twenty-one, give the lad a break." Gobber defended his student.

"All the more reason to be careful, self-control is not a known trait for a Viking, let alone one so young." Brenna shot back.

"All we're saying is to wait, it won't be easy to if you're messing around. Me and your father, well... I fell pregnant before we were married. It was quite the catastrophe, until the wedding." Valka frowned towards her son. "I don't want you to have to rush like that Hiccup."

Hiccup stared at the table in thought for a minute, long enough that Gobber had gotten up to refuel and the two women had moved on to another conversation.

"Hiccup?" Astrid questioned, little Alin still on her hip and his Chiefs mug held out to him.

"Thank you." He took the mug, taking a long sip of the ale in it.

"What happened?" She asked, sitting down and moving Alin to sit between the two of them.

"Ah... we'll talk about it later." Hiccup forced a smile towards her which she frowned at in return.

Hiccup sighed and leaned back against the bench with an arm cast leisurely behind Astrid. Little Alin swayed sleepily as the night progressed and Brenna eventually took him back to her house to be with his own heavily pregnant mother. Valka decided that it was time to go as well, leaving to go check on cloud jumper and whatever other male dragons were left in the hangars.

The festivities continued well into the morning and by the time the first Viking had started singing whatever song popped into his head, Astrid decided that she was done for the night.

"Goodnight Hiccup." She smiled, pecking his cheek as she stood up.

"Wait." He caught her wrist. "Let me walk you home." He insisted.

Astrid's heart swelled in her tiredness and they walked together from the hall into the freezing morning air.

"So what happened earlier?" Astrid started conversation as they slowly walked down into the town center.

"Hm? Oh yeah, so your mother thinks I don't have any self-control and that we're just a bunch of hormonal teenagers."

"What?" Astrid snapped.

"Yeah, not just her though, my mother's concerned we'll do something stupid too, and Gobber... enough said." He chuckled.

"It's not funny Hiccup." She spoke sternly but found herself smiling all the same.

He stopped walking and clasped her hand tighter.

"Do you think we are?" Hiccup's expression turned a shade of serious she hadn't seen in a while.

"Gods no. You're Chief for crying out loud and I'm your general, I'd say we're very mature." Astrid defended them, not sure why she was doing so adamantly to him.

"Aside from that. You're my girlfriend." That sure as heil sent her heart racing. "Do you think we have physical control?"

Nervously, Astrid looked back up the hill towards the Chief's Hut. Hiccup's house, the place she had spent so many nights in his bed, by his side. Did that mean they had physical control?

Only one way to find out.

Silently, she led him to his house. Tugging him along and suddenly do aware of his large warm hand in her grasp and the shock waves it sent through her. Her stomach twisted in strange anticipation, but she was silent all the while.

"Astrid-"

She looked back at him, eyes darkened by the lack of light and the feelings building deep in her gut, silencing him.

They made it to the Hut, toothless' snoring sounding loudly from the stables sent them both some relief as they entered the house.

It felt almost like any other night that she would come to his house. They took off their clothes getting ready for bed, Hiccup shirtless in just his sleeping trousers and Astrid with her briefs and chest wrappings. But that was normal, so why did it feel like more.

They laid in bed, each blowing out a candle on their side and casting the room in complete darkness. They moved around to get comfortable, Astrid eventually finding her place against his firm peach fuzz covered chest, and Hiccup's arms drawing her even closer.

As their eyes became adjusted to the dark Hiccup noticed her braid had come undone in their tossing and turning and raked his calloused fingers through her soft hair.

Astrid shuttered, feeling his other hand move subconsciously up and down her bare arm. He had blacksmith's hands. Rough and calloused against her skin, eliciting goosebumps over every inch of her as no one else could.

With a deep, ragged sigh on his part, he kissed her forehead. His lips trailing over her face in a calming motion. Astrid pressed a singular kiss to his collarbone in turn and he pressed more insistently against her face.

"Astrid." He rumbled another wave of goosebumps trailing her body. "Look at me."

She did and was captivated by the distressed and thoughtful expression on his face. His eyebrows drawn together, creases lining between them and across his forehead and in his frown. It was a look of concentration that she admired so much.

Unable to stop herself she kissed his lips once, a tiny peck, and her hands trailed up his lean body to frame his sharp jaw. She watched the crease between his eyebrows fade and a simply blissful state creep across his features.

And when he kissed her this time, there was nothing innocent about it. The hand that had been casually playing with her hair stilled at the nape of her neck forcing her closer, not that she minded at all.

His lips moved roughly against hers opening in a soft moan when she ran her fingers through his hair, catching on the two braids. Astrid tilted her head slightly allowing him to dominate her mouth. His tongue ran gently over her chapped lips, caressing her own tongue and tempting it to play the same dangerous game.

Astrid moaned loudly as Hiccup's hand that wasn't locked in her hair ran down the curve of her hip to grab her thigh, forcing the appendage over his waist, urging her with gentle fingers to wrap around him. Again, not that Astrid needed much persuading.

"H-Hiccup..." She panted against his lips before he kissed her silent once more.

The moment they shared was nothing like anything Astrid had ever experienced before. And the way Hiccup moved, the confidence in his every action, it was driving her mad.

His lips left hers so they could both have a moment to breathe, but only momentarily before he was shifting them so he was hovering over her stealing her breath in a new way. Hiccup's deft lips found the column of her neck and kissed passionately, sucking and biting along her sensitive skin. It was addictive and Astrid wasn't so sure she'd be able to overcome it.

Her fingers latched onto the bedsheets as he continued to completely worship her. His hands held tightly to her waist, holding her down to the bed. But they both knew she could move at any time.

In a moment of weakness Hiccup's body response was to grind his hips down against her own. He wasn't sure where it came from, only that it was done and Astrid was whimpering and wrapping her strong legs tightly around his back. Hiccup pulled away abruptly groaning and quivering where his manhood was forcibly pressed to hers causing Astrid to pant and shutter. Her pert nipples could be seen even through the wrappings that encased her breasts, Hiccup was captivated once more. Her icy blue eyes opened then, finally, and snapped him out of his reverie.

"We should stop." He panted quietly into the even quieter room.

Astrid could only nod, her mind still wrapped up in the feeling of that foreign pressure against her womanhood. Hiccup cleared his throat after a moment, lifting himself rather slowly from atop her and sitting on the edge of his bed. He reattached his prosthetic.

"Hiccup? We didn't do anything wrong... did we?" Astrid sounded timid for the first time in her life, incredibly insecure at how close they had been to intimacy.

"No!" He quickly amended. "No, I just need to walk this off." He explained standing and trying to hide the tent in his baggy trousers.

"Oh!" Astrid blushed furiously, only having seen one other man sporting in her presence, and it had disgusted her at the time, of course being it was Snotlout.

She couldn't decide how she felt now, being it was Hiccup.

"Um, oh! I have something for you." He quickly changed topics, in an attempted to distract himself.

He brought a neatly wrapped parcel to the bed and it dawned on her that it was still Snoggletog. She immediately felt incredibly guilty. Hiccup sat beside her on the furs, handing her the parcel.

She carefully unwrapped it, mindful of any sharp edges because the first thing going through her mind was some kind of weapon. After all, that's what Hiccup always got her.

Instead, she pulled forth a coin, palm-sized with a string threaded through it, and a depiction of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, engraved beautifully in the center.

"Hiccup-"

"It was my mother's betrothal gift from my father." Hiccup quickly interrupted her. "She gave it to me soon after... with the intent that I would give it to you, of course." He worked through his explanation quickly, trying to keep his rambling to a minimum.

"So this is...?" Astrid cast him a side-eyed glance wanting to hear it for herself

"Y-your betrothal gift... f-from me." He muttered anxiously. "I... I feel bad that we never officially courted, that all this just kind of happened. But I want you." He said sternly then cursed himself for being so demanding. "I-if you'll have me."

"Are you crazy? Of course, I will have you, you're already mine." Astrid shot him a confused gaze in teasing admiration, to which he gave a lopsided smirk.

She slipped the medallion around her neck letting the weight settle there as a reminder. She let out a long breath, relief maybe?

They kissed once more, chastely, before laying down similarly to how they had begun. And Astrid's guilt began to eat its way through.

"I didn't get you anything." She murmured against his skin feeling his arms tighten their hold around her.

"This. This right now is the best possible gift you could ever give me." Hiccup assured her as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Astrid smiled and with that light feeling restored they finally found sleep.


	6. Chapter 6: Fears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the wake of the betrothal Astrid finds herself realizing that she shares more in common with Hiccup than just their passion, but also it seems their fears.

The term: skip to her step, was not a term Astrid often found herself being associated with. In fact, Astrid had never been referred to as giddy or girlish in all her life. Though it seemed that the further her relationship progressed with Hiccup the more she was feeling all these repressed feminine desires begin to arise. That aside, it was certainly a very new and unexplored feeling.

It had been about a week since Snoggletog. Since Hiccup had gifted her with a proper betrothal gift, one that wasn't knives and new axes. She wore it proudly, though hidden under her furs per Hiccups request.

When they had woken up the morning after Snoggletog; Hiccup had already been awake, staring intently at her, a light blush dusting his freckled cheeks. She had almost told him to stop, Her own heated blush seeping to the surface when he placed a hand on her cheek and whispered:

"I'm going to ask for your parent's blessing."

It was all he said, but Astrid got the idea. She nodded briefly before her lips were captured in a delicate kiss.

He was going to ask her to marry him.

It was a drastic next step in the simplicity of their relationship thus far. Her only worries being that her father would say no, which was extremely unlikely, or that her mother would think something had happened between them and they needed to marry quickly.

But it wasn't quick by any means, it was probably the longest courting in Viking history. Not literally, but it had been in the making for a while now.

A year ago Astrid would have gawked, said there was no way in Hel they were ready for that. But older Astrid, even by just a year, knew this was right and it was time.

By now though, it had already been a week. And while yes, Astrid knew that they were cleaning up after the celebration and preparing for the dragons to return in a month or so, she thought he would have made time to ask by now.

Astrid found herself wandering towards the blacksmith shop on one of her unusually slow days. The cold nipped at her cheeks and she bundled tighter, feeling the cool metal press to her neck as she did so. It caused her to smile fondly into her furs.

Hiccup was working today, she suddenly remembered. It had been a long time since the Viking had made time for tasks in the smith. Gobber was sure thankful for his help, with most of the dragons gone or grounded due to weather, people usually requested saddle upgrades that took a bit more time.

"Oh my god, it's the chief!" Astrid commented sarcastically as she rounded the corner.

However, she was not prepared for the sight that beheld her.

Hiccup shirtless using his tunic to wipe the soot and sweat from his brow. She couldn't blame him really, not when the weather in the forge seemed to be an entirely different climate than the rest of Berk. Even she was beginning to feel the effects of being in continued proximity, through the smirk he was giving her may have been doing that all on its own. There had only been a few times she could recall seeing him shirtless in daylight, and of those times he had been a scrawny boy with barely a muscle to his frame. Now, he was by no means a boy. He was a man, still skinny by Viking standards, but leaned from riding and training dragons, calloused from his years at the forge, and now aged pleasantly, from boy to man, by his work as a chief.

Her breath caught in her throat as he cleaned off his dirt and ash-covered hands and approached her.

"Is.. everything alright?" He quirked his brow up as he questioned her silence.

"I'm fine. I came to see if Gobber could fix my ax, but since you're here?" Astrid smiled hopefully. The balance just wouldn't be right if Gobber fixed it.

"Let's have a look." He rolled his eyes but his smile was still prominent.

She untied the strap from over her shoulder and placed the ax, bound by cloth and wool string, into his waiting arms. He placed it on his workbench, unbinding the wrappings and quickly observing the splintered wood shaft and the cracks along the heel.

"It's fixable." He declared in that focused hiccup mindset.

"Good." She smiled and he got right to work, so she took a seat atop one of the nearby barrels and decided to wait.

She watched as he finished breaking the handle and dislodged it from the eye. He worked delicately to melt the metal of her ax to fuse the heel back together where it had cracked, being mindful of the weight as he went, melting scraps to compensate for any loss. He made quick work of it and was done in less than half an hour. And in that time Astrid had watched him diligently, especially had he carved into the hardening metal, with a little help of change-wing acid, a depiction of her dragon.

Once fully back together with a new wood handle he submerged the ax in a bucket of water and polished the whole. Pleased with his work he handed it back to its owner who wasted no time in testing the balance and power behind her beloved ax.

"How'd you break it, if you don't mind me asking?" He questioned, leaning back against the barrel she had been sitting on moments before.

"Got angry." She answered curtly, there was no reason to get into the details of that one.

"Ah, of course. And how long ago?" Hiccup could tell she had gone a while without it by how she kept having to readjust her stance.

"A few weeks." Was Astrid response, curt once more.

"You could've told me, or I could've fixed up your old ax." Because that was the one she had to have been using since. The one made for her 16-year-old body not her matured 22-year-old one.

"It's been a challenge but I was making do and you were busy." She sighed placing her newly restored ax to the side and folding her arms across her chest. She leaned against a post not far from Hiccup.

"I'm never too busy to help you." Hiccup answered but it was distracted. He was intently staring at her chest.

It was very un-Hiccup-like, so she took note of what he could possibly be looking at. Her furs had been pushed up higher on her shoulders when she folded her arms exposing the pendant to his gaze.

Oh.

Hiccup stood and calmly approached, his hand reaching out to touch the metal delicately. Astrid was caught off guard staring up into his eyes, trying to calculate how he was feeling in that moment. She hoped it was something good.

"Hiccup?"

"Hm?" He hummed in response and his eyes met hers, but the reaction was delayed.

"Why haven't you asked yet."

Hiccup blushed, moved a hand to rub at the nape of his neck, pushing the sweaty russet locks away from his skin. She tried to wait for a response but the silence between them was deafening.

"Y-you're still going to ask right?" The quiver to her voice broke him from his flustered silence.

"Of course! Astrid, Gods yes, of course, I'm still going to ask." Hiccup found her hands and clutched onto them desperately.

Astrid's sigh of relief was noticeable to him, and he smiled as she did.

"I'm... beyond scared Astrid." Hiccup confessed, gaze never leaving hers.

"I am too, but I know that he going to accept. You're the chief, and he hasn't exactly said no to our dating all these years." Astrid tried to reassure him but it didn't seem to be doing any good.

"Actually, It's your mother I'm worried about. I don't want her thinking we have to get married. Especially after everything that's been going on and the comments they made."

"Hiccup, even if she does suspect that's why. She won't say no, and she'll be proven wrong, eventually." Astrid supplied again and this seemed to ease Hiccup.

His fears are my own.

Astrid, unthinkingly, placed a hand to his waist and was reminded of the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt. How she possibly could've forgotten that. Hiccup startled at the cold touch to his bare skin.

"Cold." He commented eyes dropping down to her parted lips.

"Sorry-" she was cut off as Hiccup placed a lingering kiss to her chapped lips.

Her arms snaked around his waist causing him to shiver more. When his lips parted from hers, he simply leaned to the side and tucked his face against her neck. His arms wrapping around her shoulders and holding them there.

Astrid sighed, breathing in his natural musk mixed with the smell of burning metal. This was what peace felt like, and it was nice to share it with him.

"Afternoon Chief-"

They parted at the intrusion.

"Oh! Well, don't let me interrupt you then." Eret son of Eret made to leave with a cheeky grin on his face.

"No it's fine I was just leaving." Astrid snarled, and with a hand on hiccup arm pulled him closer so she could kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

Yes I head cannon Astrid as being older than Hiccup, even if just by a year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not even going to lie, I completely forgot I posted this story on AO3. Im based more frequently out of FanFiction.net. As of 2/26/21 there are 15 published chapters and more to come. Sorry if this ends up being a spam! And also that I'm not a consistent publisher!   
> I'm a full time college student and my obsessive writing habits come and go on a whim. :(


	7. Chapter 7: Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Explicit sexual content warning!

They walked and in hand, if not a little white knuckled from how strongly each was grasping onto the other.

"Are you sure?" Astrid lifted her gaze to find Hiccup's already on her

Hiccup smiled warmly his large hand cupping the right side of her face. She leaned into his palm, steadying herself.

"I've never been more sure of anything."

-

A few days prior, Astrid had been restless, tossing and turning in her bed for the better half of the night. It was almost sunrise when she had given up hope of falling asleep that night. She rose with the sun and found herself meandering the village alone at daybreak. With colder weather settled in, the other Vikings took to waiting till the sun was higher in the sky and the air a little warmer because of it.

But here Astrid was. Meandering.

She walked up the stone laden incline to Hiccup's hut. Of course. Because who else would she want to be awake with her at this hour, wether he liked it or not. Much to her surprise just as she reached her hand to pull open the sturdy door she heard ruckus from the stable.

As she made her way around back she began to hear a hushed voice and the very talkative warblings of Toothless.

"Toothless. If you don't- I know, I know. I'm almost done here."

Astrid didn't find him right away, instead she looked to Toothless to indicate where the chief was. That being up on the scaffolding of the stable roof, patching a hole.

She chuckled lightly to herself.

"Astrid?! Astrid! Oh hi, Astrid." Hiccup stumbled wrapping his arms around the post and holding for dear life.

"Oh hi, Hiccup." She mimicked teasingly. Venturing further into the stables.

Toothless wriggled and danced as he circled and sniffed her, and she patted all up and down his back in return.

"Can't sleep?" She asked.

He shook his head. "You?"

And she shook hers in return.

"I would've thought I'd find you up in your room if you couldn't sleep though, handling all those chiefly looking papers." She smiled, but she was glad he was doing this and not making himself mad with all the work he had been doing.

"I delegated. And now I don't know what to do with all this time on my hands." He smiled back at her.

"Well the rest of the village would say sleeping would be a better use of these wee morning hours." She said logically, but clearly that was a huge joke.

"What's keeping you up?" Hiccup returned as Toothless helped him down from the scaffolding.

"Just... restless." She shrugged and kicked a lonely rock with the tip of her boot.

"Well I'm glad you're restlessness brought you here." He was standing before her now, his hands held out to her in offering, which she took and gave his cold hands a squeeze. "Toothless is clearly starving. Would you care to have breakfast with me?"

"Only if you're cooking." Astrid smiled brightly dragging Hiccup by the hand back into his house.

Hiccup cooked sausage and egg at the hearth while Astrid was charged with slicing the bread. And when all was done they sat by the hearth on a blanket hiccup had laid out, chewing wordlessly on their breakfast, and enjoying each others company.

"I could get use to this." Astrid finally spoke, but only once her plate was cleared and she had a happy content smile on her face. She laid face up on the floor, soaking in the warmth of the fire.

"This?" Hiccup questioned and after moving their plates to the side laid on his stomach beside her, just so he could see her better.

"This. All of this. Every morning." She took a deep stuttering breath. "With you."

Hiccup's hand brushed her messy bangs from her face and her icy blue eyes opened to stare right back up into his.

"Astrid. I don't think you realize how happy that makes me."

They both smiled and leaned in for a toothy kiss, filled with giggles and smiles and love. So much love.

"I want you to ask my parents." Astrid sighed her hand combing through his hair and catching lightly on one of the few braids she had placed there.

"What, now?" Hiccup chuckled which earned him a light yank to the back of his head.

"Of course not." Astrid grumbled, shooting him a stern look. "But when you do I want to be there. We can ask together, okay?"

Hiccup nodded and leaned in to kiss her once more.

-

Now, white knuckled and holding onto each other. They walked to Astrid's parents house. They both felt sick with nerves. Stomachs angry, and twisting the closer they came ever closer to the Hofferson house. The walk felt like it was taking forever. But when Astrid's front door, still singed, came into view. The two steel themselves, finding strength in each other.

Hiccup though, is the only one who can find the strength to actually knock on the door when they arrive.

Brenna answers but Dustin is diligently standing by. She beams at them ushering them in from the cold. Dustin stays silent though takes a seat in his chair by the hearth.

"Please sit." Brenna gestures to the stools close by.

Astrid makes to sit by her mother but Hiccup is still planted in the same spot.

"I'd like to stand if that's alright." His expression doesn't betray him, so Astrid isn't sure that his standing is to appear honorable, or if he's too nervous to move. Either way, she stays diligently by his side.

Brenna's smile is now almost sly. Though Astrid had only told her that Hiccup wanted to talk with them so they were both home when they arrived, she fears now that may have given away too much.

"Brenna, Dustin..." Hiccup addressed them both and Astrid finds herself tightening her grip on his arm just as he tightens his grip on hers. "As I'm sure you both know, I love your daughter."

Brenna nods and smiles and Dustin grumbles at the snappiness of it all. Astrid smiles too.

"I came here today seeking your blessing. To marry Astrid." Hiccups face was red, the brightest Astrid had ever seen it, well maybe not the brightest. That might have just been daylight playing into factor.

"We accept your proposal and give you our blessing." Brenna answered then looked to her husband. "Right Dustin?"

Dustin stood from his spot and faced Hiccup. He was a gruff serious man on most occasions, but today his stature was downright intimidating. But Hiccup had plenty of experience with other men trying to intimidate him.

Dustin held out his hand. To shake Hiccup realized, and offered his own in return. They shook hands sternly and as Hiccup was about to let go Dustin drew the smaller man into his chest and gave him a heavy handed pat to the back.

"Stoic would be proud."

They pulled away and Hiccup smiled with tears in his eyes. Astrid hugged him to her by his waist and gave her parents both her own watery smile.

Much to her dismay Brenna asked her daughter to stay after Hiccup's proposal. Hiccup insisted she do so as well offering his own excuse of needing to get work done and Astrid being too distracting. Needless to say Dustin didn't like that one and Astrid reluctantly stayed.

Though Brenna did bring Astrid into her room to show her some of her wedding things. Her dress was beautiful and the Betrothal gift her father had given her, a copper ring, was engraved beautifully. Upon her mother asking if she would be wanting to wear her wedding gown Astrid had ecstatically replied yes and they had spent the afternoon altering it to Astrids much smaller upper body.

Later that night Astrid found herself restless once more and instead of waiting till morning she snuck out her bedroom window and over to Hiccup's. The lanterns were still on in his room so she let herself in. Toothless was resting in a darkened spot of the house where another heated rock bed sat, so she made her way quietly by and up the stairs.

Hiccup didn't notice her right away, too focused on the papers on his desk. But not madly so, he had lessened his workload drastically. Taking on only what he had to and giving others in the village a little more responsibility over their own duties. He had more free time for what he loved to do and he could still help Gobber and with dragon training, and all that combined made him a lot calmer and happier.

"Hey." He grinned widely once he finally noticed her, setting down the papers and walking away for the moment. Something he wouldn't have been able to do before.

"Hey." She returned, grinning proudly. Not exactly sure why, but maybe at how strong her boyfriend had become and what a great leader he was becoming.

Fiancé, she reminded herself. He heart skipped a beat and her stomach began to flutter.

"Couldn't sleep again? Or are you trying to get me to make you breakfast? Because it might be too early for that." Hiccup chuckled as he came to stand in front of her.

"Just restless." Astrid supplied moving to stand closer, their chests only centimeters apart.

"Restless? The hard part is over. Thank gods." Hiccups smile turned fond and he rested her hand on her cheek cupping her jaw.

It was then that he saw the hazy half-lidded look of her eyes and the faintness of her blush over creamy rounded cheeks. She reached up to kiss him in that moment and Hiccup found himself melting into her embrace. She backed them up several paces before her hands left him, but her lips never did. Expertly, she slid her skirt down her hips so she was just in her leggings.

"Astrid." Hiccup warned between kisses but it was lost in a groan as Astrid gently took his supple bottom lip between her teeth.

Hiccup felt the back of his knees hit the bed and before he could protest Astrid was jumping up into his arms and he fell back into a seated position with Astrid resting on his lap and her strong legs pressing in on either side of his thighs.

"Astrid w-"

She cut him off by adjusting her kiss into something deeper, noses mashing into the others cheek and tongues exploring more diligently than they ever had before. Astrid was the one to leave him, leaning back to pull her skin tight shirt over her head and toss it somewhere behind her. Hiccup's protests died on his tongue at the action, when she leaned back it send her pelvis pressing even more insistently against his own shocking him into silence.

Astrid moaned aloud, grinding her hips forward as she let her chest bindings loosen. It was then that Hiccup found his resolve. He took her by the arms and pressed them closer to her body, if only to prevent her chest bindings from falling completely, but also to grab her attention.

"Astrid. Stop." He ground out, eyes clenched shut as he tried to get control of his breathing once more.

"Hiccup please." She practically begged and his grip loosened, his face morphing into something so utterly conflicted.

She pressed closer to him, arms wrapped around his neck and lips tickling the shell of his ear. He held her tighter, hiding his heated face into the crook of her neck as she stroked up his back.

"We're getting married Hiccup." She reminded him and they both let out full body shutters.

"I know." Hiccup cried pitifully his hand moving lower on her back to press her hips even more firmly to his own. "I just don't want anything to happen before it's time."

"Like... getting pregnant." Astrid clarified what he was already thinking, and if it was possible she felt him get even harder. "Hiccup, what do you think is going to happen when we're officially married."

"You'd want that? Right away?" Hiccup's head left her shoulder to stare at her intently.

"Well, no. But there's always the chance. It'll happen when it happens right?" She shrugged and felt her bindings slip so at least one of her breast was fully exposed, but pressed into Hiccup's chest still.

"I don't want to break your parents trust." He said honestly. "Or mine."

"Hiccup..." she sighed but as the thought sank in, she nodded. "Okay. We'll wait." She rested her forehead to Hiccup's and closed her eyes.

Neither of them moved for a longtime. But when Astrid opened her eyes, Hiccups were already open and definitely not looking at her. Well not her eyes. She looked down too, and almost laughed. There was nothing to see. Only her cleavage where her breast and their chests were pressed together.

"Sorry." Hiccup croaked and looked away.

"You can look. I don't mind." Astrid spit out, the words sounded so strange coming out of her mouth.

"Astrid."

"I know they're small. But they're yours now. And you can look... if you want." Astrid was a blushing mess now, and her confidence was leaving her quickly.

"I like them." Hiccup then choked on his words and began coughing. "I can't believe I said that."

Astrid started laughing, her eyes watering and soon Hiccup was laughing too. And when they finally caught their breath Astrid placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth and leaned away from him.

She removed her breast bindings fully laying them in a heap beside her. Astrids hands were shaking with the repressed desire to cover them. But Hiccups hands were shaking too as he reached up for her.

"May I?" He asked, gods he was such a gentleman.

Astrid nodded and kept her hands firmly planted at her sides. And when Hiccup's rough calloused hand cupped the side of her breast, she let him know how it felt. The desperate moan that left her lips was not something Hiccup expected to hear, not in a million years. So he tested the waters and let his other hand cup her other breast. The same result ensued. And when he gently squeezed she leaned into his hands.

"Shit."

Hiccups eyes widened at that. Astrid usually reserved cursing for the battle field, or Snotlout. But it turns out cursing in this situation was a good thing.

He continued his ministrations on her breasts, studying, because he wanted to take note and remember ever action and reaction. And when his hands had done all they seemed to be able to do reaction wise, he used his lips.

He cupped one of her breast in his hand, because it just fit so perfectly there, and brought his lips to suck on the softest skin he'd ever felt at the outer side of her.

"Ah!" Astrid cried and found her arms holding Hiccup's head to her bosom as he worked his lips gently over to her pert nipple.

As he worked her one breast over and moved to the next Astrid found her hand down her leggings, rubbing gentle circles into the nub between her folds. And Hiccup could feel it, so much so that he halted and focused on the motion of her hand on herself where their hips were still pressed together.

"H-hiccup.. don't stop." She urged and he crumbled, falling back down onto the bed with his eyes wide and staring at the ceiling. "Hiccup? What's wrong?" She was clearly concerned and when Hiccup looked back to her he couldn't even console her.

There was a goddess, ruffled, hair falling from its braid, arms squeezing her breasts together, red marks littering the rosy skin of her bosom, and her hand still hidden in the confines of her leggings and surely her underwear.

Hiccups face was on fire, hel his whole body was on fire. And his manhood, which had most definitely reached its breaking point was at nearly full sail once more.

"I-I finished." Hiccup muttered into his hands in embarrassment.

"Y-you..? But I didn't even do anything?" She seemed so confused but how could she be.

"You don't have to." Hiccup informed her and that seemed to be all the information she needed.

"Well I'm not." She replied.

"Not what?" Hiccup peaked from between his fingers up at the blonde on his lap.

"Finished." She shot him a lust filled gaze and scooted forward on his hips, her hands on his hip bones for leverage as she began a steady grind that seemed beyond pleasant for both of them.

Hiccup lost all coherent thought as she continued to grind their clothed sexes together. Making all kinds of tiny noises as she angled her body above his to find that perfect friction. She tried to reach back into her pants for just a touch more, but couldn't seem to find her balance.

Before he could even process the though Hiccup was rising back into a seated position to kiss her and hold her hips to his while he rolled his up to meet her. The angle was even more satisfying and now Astrid had her hands free and they instantly went to her pants only to find Hiccup doing the same. Their eyes met and the moment slowed, Astrid took his hand a guided it to push her leggings and underwear down as much as possible with their still constant collisions.

"Here." She whispered and placed his palm to her soaked center.

Hiccup flinched at how wet and soft the skin there was, but pride soon filled his chest and his hands explored the new terrain. She squirmed as he worked her over and used his free hand to grab at her breast. The result was over stimulating and Astrid could only cry in between moaning his name out into the space between them. When Hiccups hands began to reach deeper and a single finger slid into her wet cavern she instantly clenched down on him and fell over his shoulder to ride out her orgasm.

"A-are you-"

She nodded vigorously hand clutching the hair at the nape of his neck, and he groaned following her right into his own orgasm.

They both were left breathing heavily. Bodies limp against one another, but when Astrid found the strength to lean back and look at him. They were both sharing a heartfelt smile. Laughter erupted and they kissed each other repeatedly through it.

"I can't wait to be married to you." Hiccup announced and Astrid could only nod her agreement.


	8. Chapter 8: Big Announcements

"So we're telling them?" Astrid smiled looking up at Hiccup where he was still half asleep.

"We're telling them." He confirmed eyes still shut.

"And you're making me breakfast?" She inquired once more, the previous answer having been not yet. She even moved closer hoping it would be incentive to make him get out of bed sooner.

"And I'm making you breakfast." He smiled though his eyes were still shut so she was sure she was going to have to wait at least half an hour more before he moved.

-

A month after their engagement they made the announcement to the people of Berk. Though they were both positive that Brenna had told most of the Village by then.

"We're getting married." Was all Hiccup said to the gathering he had requested in the great hall.

Though cheering and hollering still ensued along with chants of:

"To the future chieftess!"

There were also quite a few wishes for long lives and healthy offspring.

That day just so happened to also be the day that the dragons returned. It was joyous to see all of those who's dragons had mated and gone to give birth returning from the nesting grounds. There was not a little dragon in tow but that was something the people of Berk had come to accept by now.

Astrid ran to Stormfly as she landed squawking merrily at having been reunited.

"I missed you so much girl!" Astrid cooed and hugged the nadder around her neck, receiving a nuzzle to the shoulder in return. "Gods we have a lot to talk about." She warned and Stormfly trilled her response.

Hiccup came to greet Astrid's counterpart as well, but she was far more interested in reconnecting with Toothless than she was Hiccup.

"Don't take it personally." Astrid reminded but Hiccup always, always took it personally when a dragon rejected him.

"Uh, Hiccup." Eret came up from the side to place a hand on the Chiefs shoulder. "Sorry Astrid, can we talk for a moment?"

"Sure." Astrid smiled and bid her fiancé and friend goodbye.

She needed to spend some time with her dragon anyway.

-

"He what?!" Astrid gaped as Hiccup chopped up vegetables for the stew he was making them.

"I know. I didn't realize him and Heather had gotten that close." Hiccup was still in shock as well.

"Or been in that close proximity." Astrid teased, mostly on account of her friend Heather, being as standoffish as she was.

"Astrid." Hiccup warned but couldn't help his own snicker from surfacing. "She's arriving any day now. She hadn't realized her messenger dragon had mated and gave him the letter, but he only just arrived because of nesting season."

"I'm happy to finally see her again." Astrid smiled, she hadn't made a friend as close as Heather in a long time, Ruff came close, but not quite.

"It seems you both have some big news to share." Hiccup smiled and then resumed cooking.

"And I'll let her tell me in her own time." Astrid concluded but she wasn't sure she even believed herself.

"I don't think she could hide it from you even if she wanted to." Hiccup winced as he watched Heather be assisted from the boat she had traveled on with Trader Johann.

They had gone down to the docks the moment someone reported Johann's boat entering the harbor. Astrid had already wanted to, but Eret had asked Hiccup to do so anyway. They all wanted to be there when Heather arrived.

Eret jogged down the dock as she was being assisted from the boat, to help her up the dock. He fused over her like a nursemaid and she reluctantly let him. She wore a loose knitted dress but even that couldn't hide the large belly beneath it.

"I wasn't expecting her to be that pregnant." Astrid commented quietly and Hiccup shook his head in agreement.

"Astrid!" Heather called, and tried to walk a little quicker up the dock.

Eret looked quite pale.

"Heather!" Astrid called in return and went to meet her half way.

They hugged to the best of their ability with her big pregnant belly in the way.

"How are you?" Astrid asked though her eyes kept flicking nervously down to her stomach.

"8 months, almost due." She crossed her fingers.

Hiccup seemed to be the only one that noticed Eret falter and drop her travel bag.

"I'm so excited you're here, how long are you staying?" Astrid asked as she took on the task of escorting Heather to her parents hut.

"For the birth and time to recover." Heather sighed placing a hand over her belly.

"I bet you I could say something that would get you to stay longer." Astrid hinted and Heather gasped, begging the blonde to tell her.

Hiccup stayed behind as they went, waiting for Eret to get his bearings.

"You ok?" He asked and the man he once thought to be all powerful and intimidating had the most fearful expression on his face.

"I'm going to be a father mate."

-

"Well no I'm not surprised Astrid. It's about damn time." Heather laughed from her seated position on Brenna's chair.

Upon seeing her Brenna had insisted she stay off her feet fixed her up some herbal tea. Then proceeded to nag her on how traveling this close to her due date wasn't good for her or the baby.

Brenna smiled at the two girls in her living room and left to give them a bit of privacy.

"So you're getting married. Have you and little Hicky-"

Astrid pinched her leg to get her to shut up.

"Of course not." Astrid flushed eyeing the back door where he mother was stringing up the laundry.

"Astrid there's nothing wrong with having sex. There's just risks involved and sometimes this happens." She pointed to her large belly once more.

"I know, but Hiccup's worried it will happen and then I'll be shamed by my parents or something." Astrid rolled her eyes.

"Oh." Heather's grin turned mischievous. "So you've tried."

Astrid could only blush and glare at her.

"And he did nothing? Just turned you down?" Heather seemed almost disappointed in Hiccup then.

"Well not... nothing." Astrid looked away. "We touched, but we're waiting to..."

"Have sex, come on Astrid. You're nearly married and can't even say it. It's perfectly natural." Heathers teasing was getting to Astrid a bit and she could see it. "Look, I get why you're waiting. I commend you for that. It's takes a lot."

"Thanks, but seriously you need to tell me how this happened." Astrid gestured to all of her.

"Okay!" Heather groaned. "Back when I stayed on Berk for a few months earlier in the year you introduced me to Eret." Astrid nodded. "You knew I found him attractive what else did you expect?"

"Really? But so soon?" Astrid questioned. "It has to have been within the first month of you being there."

"The first week." Heather clarified and Astrid squawked like her nadder. "It was only once so don't give me that."

"Only once?" Astrid was shocked, realizing that maybe Hiccup did have something to fear after all.

"I didn't realize until I was leaving and I was too scared to write him. I thought maybe I just wouldn't tell him but that didn't seem right either." Heather swirled her finger around the edge of her mug a frown on her face.

"I'm proud of you for telling him, it was the right thing to do." Astrid assured her.

Heather smiled and took her hand. It was only then Astrid realized she was shaking.


	9. Chapter 9: Problem Solving

Her heart thundered in her ears as she walked up to the stoop of Hiccup's hut. The bag on her shoulders felt monumentally heavier the closer she got to asking him her question, but she kept reminding herself of what Heather said:

"Don't be embarrassed. It's natural to be curious."

She also had to remind herself that it was now or never. Wedding preparations had already begun. They'd be married in less than two months. She knocked. Which felt odd even to her, and must have been even more strange to the man who opened the door.

"Astrid? Why did you-"

"I think we should research birth control." She spat out afraid she would fumble all over herself or worse yet run away, if she didn't just get it over with.

"Okay." Hiccup answered but he still seemed confused.

"I was talking to heather and she was suggesting maybe birth control if we're not sure we want to have kids right away." Astrid explained further.

"I've heard of some, but there's a lot right?" Hiccup asked opening the door for her to walk in.

"Yes. So I borrowed some books from Gothi. Maybe we can look through them and see?" She was embarrassed, he could see that, so he just nodded and took the bag from her shoulder to start sorting through it.

They shuffled through the papers for hours. Some of the ingredients would be tough to get so those were out, and some had terrible side effects. It was just so hard to choose and they were beginning to get frustrated. Hiccup sat cross legged just a few paces from where Astrid was laying on her belly trying not to loose focus on their task.

"Stoneseed root seems to be the most effective, but it takes six months to really start working." Astrid grumbled the last bit, six months meant they would either have to postpone their wedding or wait until four months into their marriage. She wasn't sure what was worse.

"And this here says that it can end up permanently sterilizing you." Hiccup snapped shaking his head. "We need to be careful, we have to be one thousand percent sure before you start taking something, no experimenting."

"I understand Hiccup, trust me." She placed a hand on his and he turned it from under her palm to hold her hand in return.

"Smartweed is sounding like the best option." Astrid said after another hour or so of reading. Her hand still clasped in Hiccups but she was now laying on her side.

"I was reading that too." Hiccup stretched his stiff spine. "And it sound like you don't have to take it everyday, just for a week after we..." Hiccup looked away from her and back to his reading.

"Have sex Hiccup." Astrid looked at him seriously and he looked just a little stunned. "And... I might end up just having to take it everyday anyway." She said as she skimmed over the pages, the line of her body where she laid on the floor seemed to curve more in that moment and she glanced up at him through her lashes only momentarily.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Hiccup groaned giving her hand a squeeze

"No!" She waved him off flicking through another page of the book. "Tempt you, maybe." Astrid smirked and rolled closer to him

"You little-" he shifted his weight so he could move closer as well.

And just as Hiccup is hovering over her ready to kiss her senseless. Valka walks in.

"Oh, pardon me." She clears her throat and casts her eyes upwards.

"It's ok, we were just doing some research." Hiccup quickly gathers up all the papers moving to put them away.

"Research?" She moves closer and Hiccup and Astrid hurry to collect all the pages and secure them back in their books. But they don't move quick enough and his mom has already picked up the page Astrid had put aside for a final review.

"Mom, it's not- we just want to be prepared and-"

"We just aren't sure if we want to have kids right away."

Valka waves them off.

"I may be an old widow but I know a thing or two." She smiles at them and seems to look them over. "May I?" She asks and reaches for the book Astrid is holding.

She flips through for quite awhile.

"W-we were considering smartweed." Astrid announces hoping she may solidify their choices.

"That ones new, hardly any substantial evidence on the side effects for children who's mothers have consumed it." She informs and they both share a look.

_We hadn't even thought of the effects on a baby._

"Wild carrot." She says and hands them the book, open to a page with a bushel of little white flowers depicted on it. "Most reliable form of birth control, this one is to be taken within eight hours of consummation to prevent fertilization. There are little to no side effects and women who stopped taking it reared perfectly healthy children."

"T-thanks, but just so you know. We're not doing anything... not yet." Hiccup assured her.

"Oh I know son." She patted his cheek. "Well I came to check on you but you seem to be in perfectly capable hands here." She hugged Astrid tightly before she left, leaving the blonde just a little stunned.

Astrid and Hiccup both turned to each other and shared alook, before the both promptly erupted into fits of laughter.


	10. Chapter 10: Eret Sons of Eret

They had all gathered in the great hall for breakfast once more, only this time Hiccup and Heather joined them.

Much to Brenna's dismay, Heather had been spending a lot of time outside of the house anyway. Specifically with Eret.

"Eret son of Eret, Grandson of Eret" Eret declared hands stamping it into the sky for dramatic effect. "It's destined to be."

"Whatever you say Eret, but I come from a very long line of strong, powerful women." Heather rolled her eyes at his dramatics.

He had come around to the idea of being a father rather quickly, though the terms of their relationship were very unspecific.

"There's no chance for it to be a girl, trust me. There hasn't been a single female born to my clan in history." Eret defended once more and everyone just decided it was best to let him have that one, besides Fishlegs of course.

"On another note, I have some big news." Heather interrupted mostly address Hiccup and Astrid now that the others had gone on to argue genetics. "I've decided to move to Berk permanently." Heather smiles, her back leaned against the bench back to allow room for her belly between her and the table.

"Oh Heather that's great!" Astrid exclaimed taking her hands and sharing in her excitement.

"That's great news Heather. We'll have to start working on a hut for you and Windshear, once the ground softens." Hiccup smiled, knowing how hard it had been for the duo to part in the past.

"Does Eret know?" Astrid was able to ask since said Viking was thoroughly distracted.

"He actually suggested it." Heather admitted. "It would make it easier for each of us to see the baby, and I'd have help round the clock."

"So you're...?" Astrid wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, something that made Hiccup raise a brow at her in return.

"Gods no. We decided to just be friends but I couldn't keep him away from the baby. Besides it'll be nice not to be a full time mom." Heather just seemed so relaxed about the mom thing, but maybe it really was just because her time as a parent would be split between her and Eret.

Looking back at Hiccup, she just couldn't imagine doing any of it without him.

* * *

"Any change on the romance front." Heather teased, arm locked with Astrid's as they took one of their regular walks through Berk.

"Not in the way you're suggesting." Astrid nudged her and Heather gave her a gentle smile. "I did talk to him though. And while we've both decided that we are absolutely going to wait, I am going to start taking wild carrot for birth control." Astrid announced, that same anxious giddy feeling erupting deep in her belly.

"Wild carrot? I haven't heard of it." Heather seemed a bit distracted but Astrid was too consumed in her own feelings to notice.

"Valka suggested it. It..." Astrid noticed their pace had slowed to a stop. "Heather?"

It was then Astrid noticed the vice like, quivering grip on her arm. She placed a hand over Heather's.

"I-I'm fine." Heather assured, but her face was paper than usual and her cheeks and lips had lost their rosy tint. "Only tired."

"Should we go back?" Astrid inquired suddenly very worried for her dear friend and at a loss.

"Yes. Yes... I-I think so." Heathers other hand clutched the material that rested over her belly.

Before they could walk another step, Heather was collapsing and Astrid's cry of distress could be heard across the village.

* * *

"I'm so sorry Heather. I was so wrapped up- if only I had been paying more attention." Astrid cried, grasping onto Heather's cold hands.

"It came on suddenly Astrid." Heather assured her weakly. "I'm really fine now."

Astrid begged to differ. She looked like death. Cheeks sullen, expression weak, she could barely lift her head in any given direction. Thank god Eret had not been very far when Heather had fallen and helped Astrid get her back home while Astrid ran to alert Gothi.

Currently, the old mute was perched on a stool holding some kind of herb tied to a string over Heather's belly, rotating it in a pattern Astrid couldn't place and humming in the back of her throat.

Eret was right there as well, sitting up on the bed closer to Heather's face and watching in worry as Gothi worked. He looked almost as bad as Heather, nearly the same fearful expression as when he had first saw Heather pregnant. Only now he feared for Heather and the baby's well being.

Astrid new instantly that she preferred the shocked fear to this one.

"Astrid dear." Brenna announced herself, bringing a kettle and mug to the bedside. She placed a soothing touch to Astrid's shoulder. "Hiccup is outside. Should I have him come up." Brenna looked between the two young women for an answer.

"If he sees me like this it'll only drive him mad with worry." Heather spoke logically.

Drying her tears Astrid nodded in agreement. She may have been close to Heather, but they had practically been siblings all those years ago.

"I-I'll go meet him." Astrid declared and reluctantly dropped Heather's hand and left her bedside, trusting Brenna and Eret's watchful eyes.

Downstairs, Hiccup was already beginning to pace the sound of his foot then prosthetic hitting the floor a steady rhythm. It stopped entirely once Astrid reached the main floor.

"Astrid." He raced to meet her, hands catching hers immediately.

It had been exactly what she needed, grounding.

"How is she? The baby?" His forest green eyes flitted over her features, searching for a sign, _answers_.

She shrugged unable to find words for a moment, her throat was sore and a sob was building there, blocking her speech. She cleared her throat, but her voice still came out weak and horse.

"Oh Hiccup..." was all she was able to say in that given moment and squeezed his hands tighter.

Hiccup squeezed hers back. She looked so broken, her eyes downcast. And he knew that look, it was shame, but for what?

"It is _not_ your fault." He declared stooping down in hopes of catching her gaze.

It worked, her watery blue eyes met his and a tear spilled down her otherwise stony facade. Unfortunately, he could do nothing more to ease her worry than to wrap her up in a tight embrace and hope that she could feel how proud of her he was. Maybe with her head pressed there against his chest she could hear how his heart thundered and ached for her.

They were the same. They carried others burdens as their own. The weight of mountains on their shoulders.


	11. Chapter 11: I'm Totally Just Drabbling Here

With Heather falling ill, the chief and future chieftess decided it best to postpone their wedding until either Heather was feeling better or the baby had come.

Needless to say Heather had not been thrilled.

"Astrid please. You can't postpone!" Heather slapped her hand back down to the bed in agitation but it lacked strength and Astrid simply grinned at her. "T-this has been years in the making Astrid, 7 years!" She continued to seethe indignantly.

"And it can wait another if it comes to that." Astrid shrugged only in hopes to anger her friend further, clearly.

"I seriously hope not." Brenna eyed her daughter and gave her heathen child a purposeful jab with the needle and thread she held in her poised fingers.

"Ow!" Astrid yelped a frown upon her plump face. "How much longer do I have to stand here?" She groaned.

Her arms were tired and she teetered where she balanced on a stool in the center of her bedroom. Heather watched in amusement as Brenna took in the dress meant for Astrid to wear on her wedding day. It was inside out, so it was not nearly done justice, but it was beginning to take shape nicely.

"Until I say you're done. Ungrateful child." Brenna swatted at her daughter causing her Astrid to doge another jab to the side and stand a bit straighter. "Heather is right though. Don't wait too long dear, he might grow tiresome of your games." Brenna teased, a smirk to her features.

"Hiccup and I are perfectly fine. His love for me is patient." Astrid blushed with how cheesy the words sounded coming out of her mouth. "And mine for him."

"Aaaaawe." Heather gushed through her weariness and Astrid childishly retorted with her tongue jutting out of her mouth pointed directly at her.

The three women laughed and the air felt lighter.

* * *

Now, just because Astrid was a bride to be and it was the dead of the winter season, didn't mean that she hadn't any work to do. With the focus off the wedding and Hiccup back to the forge, Astrid was back to the arena for training.

It was true she had been slacking on her duties the last couple weeks but there were no distractions now, except for the obvious.

One devilishly, and obliviously, handsome Hiccup and the other her sick pregnant friend Heather.

That aside she was determined to start a winter training regiment for the A team. But it seemed she wasn't the only one slacking off in the winter months. The arena was a mess of snow and weapons, along with other materials having been left about in the midst of snow storms. There was no one else to blame really, it was her responsibility to manage the arena.

With a heavy sigh, all Astrid could do was get to work.

It took quite a few long and tedious hours of shoveling snow, organizing, and taking inventory. But my Thor she had done it, and with an hour or so to spare before sundown.

After the battle against the red death, and their union with dragons. The Arena and the dragon cells had given her the creeps. They kept them shut once the dragons were freed and refused to do anything with the dank, dark spaces. It had been a terrible waste of space really. Especially after they had started storing all their materials in the ground floor of the arena. Instead they took off some of the doors and converted others into storage holds. One of the cells was even converted into a meeting space for the arena, or in other terms Astrid's work space.

While the cells were still rather cold and eery, leaving the doors open and having adequate torch lights made it just a bit more bearable. It had actually become a rather focusing place to work as Astrid mapped out a training routine on the stone wall before her.

Stormfly trilled at Astrid, alerting the warrior to her tiredness and just how late it had gotten.

"I know girl, just another minute and I promise we'll go home and get some dinner." Astrid scratched at the underside of her nadders neck to appease her.

"Or you could enjoy a nice hot meal courtesy of yours truly." Hiccups voice startled her only slightly before he came into view. A mischievous smile on his face.

"Or that." She smiled back at him and the nadder squawked running towards where toothless followed with two woven baskets on his saddle.

Hiccup placed the food he carried on the meeting table and pulled out two chairs for them, set side by side. It was only when he emptied the two baskets for the two dragons respectively that he allowed himself to sit for dinner.

"Thanks Hiccup." She smiled as she spooned at the hot stew.

"Anything for you Milady." He grinned.

They talked aimlessly into the night about her plans for the academy. There was nothing solid but it was nice to runs plans between the two of them.

"It's late." Hiccup yawned, shaking his head of his drowsiness and tousling his russet locks in the process.

Astrid eyed the two dragons who had curled up together just outside the meeting room where their riders sat. The were sound asleep beside each other.

"I think they would agree." She spoke in hushed tones catching Hiccup's eye again.

He looked back and smiled towards the dragons, about to look away when Toothless raised his head, alerting them to another presence towards the arena entrance.

"Eret?" Hiccup questioned as the other man came barreling towards them.

They both stood to meet him when he arrived.

"Heather!" He shouted, completely out of breath, pointing in the direction he had come from and running back that way.

Astrid and Hiccup both shared a shocked look before mounting their dragons and taking off after him. They of course picked up Eret along the way.


	12. Chapter 12: False Alarm

The moment they had touched down outside of Astrid's family home, Eret was falling over himself to return inside. He missed Brenna entirely while in his one track mind.

"False Alarm." She alerted and they deflated from their positions atop their dragons. "Though I suspect real labor should be starting very soon." She reassured.

Astrid dismounted and Stormfly took her leave around back, most likely to fall back asleep.

"How was she today?" She asked and Hiccup sat idly by awaiting Brenna's response.

"Honestly, very well. She's been sitting up all day. She looks a whole lot better too. Bored." Brenna laughed.

"That's a relief." Astrid smiled and gave Hiccup a glance.

Hiccup pointed to his chest then looked behind himself, turning dramatically to make sure she was looking at him. Astrid only rolled her eyes.

Sensing she was no longer needed Brenna went back inside.

"I'll talk to Heather, turns out there might be a wedding in the very near future after all." Astrid commented slyly stepping up to stand beside toothless.

With his hands on his hips and a smile on his face, Hiccup beamed down at her excitedly.

"Gods I hope so." The grin he wore turned downright dorky.

But who was Astrid kidding, she loved dorky.

Ignoring Toothless's impatient warble Astrid reached up on her tippy toes to kiss him, and he met her halfway, placing a warm hand to the back of her head to hold her close. The moment was gone quickly when Toothless purposefully jostled his rider, causing Hiccup to have to let go and grip onto the saddle as his dragon decided that they were done.

"Useless reptile." Hiccup muttered shooting a grin filled scowl Astrid's way.

She shrugged and after they had taken off into the night she retired.

* * *

Preparations were fully underway once again. The indecisiveness of the to be wed couple giving Gobber a whiplash.

While Heather wasn't feeling monumentally better, they still decided it would be better to get married now then wait till after baby was born and then some for Heather's recovery. And Heather urged that decision as adamantly as the rest.

Astrid was trying on her dress one final time, right side out this time, and fitted to perfection. Her hair was loose and the white of the dress with gold embellishments was traditional, just as Astrid was.

"I'm getting married in three days." Astrid gawked as she eyed herself in the small mirror.

She twisted allowing the long skirt and loose arms to sway with her, it was tight about everywhere else. Around her chest and mid and upper arms, looser after the gold belt placed on her hips, the middle hanging low.

"I know that look." Heather announced from her cross legged position on the bed, leaned back comfortably against the head board.

"What _look_?" Astrid spared a glance back at her, still enraptured by the wedding dress, _her_ wedding dress, and all it would entail for her.

Heather shook her head. "He's gonna love it."

Astrid honestly didn't realize she needed the affirmation, but she certainly couldn't say it didn't make her tingle all over.

He _is_ gonna love it.

* * *

The days passed swiftly and it made Hiccup all the more nervous for their impending wedding. He wasn't nervous about marrying Astrid specifically. It was more of the nervousness of becoming her husband. It was nervous excited. Mostly excited, but a lot nervous.

Deep down though, Hiccup knew they were ready. Had know for quite some time. He was sure she felt the same about it, it was the only justifiable reason why she was okay with moving the wedding date up by at least three weeks.

That. And on account of their sick friend about to give birth any day now.

At the sound of a door shutting Hiccup let out a noise that couldn't really be explained. A squeak, but maybe more of a startled scream, or maybe both at the same time. Either way it was the most unmanly/un-Viking like sound he had made yet. And on the eve of his wedding no less.

"Gods Astrid, could you be any sneakier?" He let out a rushed breath, hand holding his thundering heart above his tunic.

"I wasn't trying to be. Thinking?" She questioned with a sly smile. Entering the room as comfortably as if it were her own.

Which by tomorrow night it would be.

"I'm always thinking Milady." He returned promptly and watched from his desk as she sat at the end of his bed. "Is there anything I could do for you this fine evening?"

They could both think of a couple of things.

Instead of voicing those things, Astrid simply replied with; "I'm tired of sleeping on the floor. And I figured since it's the eve of our wedding night I could just sleep in your bed. Since we're going to be sharing it for a long while." She grinned cheekily at him, watching a dopey grin spread across his own face.

"And what about the groom not seeing his bride the eve of the wedding?" He stalked closer, dutifully sending her heart racing.

"The way I see it..." she began pausing as he neared her and placed a calloused hand to her neck, thumb grazing her jaw. "... if we're holding true to one tradition..." he leaned down to kiss the corner of her mouth as not to inhibit her speech, but it didn't help. She took his face between both hands turning him slightly. "Let others be damned." She spoke breathlessly before she pulled him into a kiss, curving her body towards his.

He chuckled into the kiss at her crass remark.

"If that's the way you see it..." He lifted her bridal style into his arms, though she never relented her hold on him. "Then that is the way it shall be." Hiccups grin skyrocketed her heartbeat, but what really had her heart stopping was when suddenly she want in his arms anymore, and she was falling with a thud onto the mattress.

The moment her heart beat was returned to her, She laughed from her splayed position on the bed, laughing harder yet as he jumped into bed to join her.

The laid next to each other, Astrid on her back and Hiccup on his stomach, laughing breathlessly. And once they had ceased and caught their breaths Astrid reached out with slim fingertips to brush the stubble of his jaw lightly.

"I can't wait to be married to you." She nearly whispered, admiring the way his forest green eyes softened at her words.

"I can't wait to spend every night, just like this, here with you." He kissed her again, before shifting to blow out the candle on his bedside table, and remove his prosthetic.

It gave her just enough time to shift to lay properly in bed and lift the blanket. Before he was back, right next to her, laying his head on her shoulder and wrapping his arms tightly around her middle. She whisked her fingers through his hair minding his braids letting herself fall asleep to his gentle breathing.

"I love you Hiccup." She shuttered holding onto him as his grip on her tightened.

"I love you too Astrid."


	13. Chapter 13: Joy and Hardship

Astrid woke early the next morning. She had slept soundly there in Hiccups arms, but once she began to stir and the excitement of her wedding started to set in, she couldn't be still any longer.

She lifted herself from Hiccups chest where she had been nestled, the arm that was loosely placed over her shoulder falling in his sleeping state.

"I'm going home." She whispered, kissing his forehead sweetly.

He grumbled and twitched his nose as she began to remove herself from him further. Rolling onto his side and giving her his freckled back instead. She leaned up against him to whisper in his ear.

"You know, to get ready for our wedding." She grinned as she watched the corner of his mouth tug up in a smile. "Love you." She whispered having to tear herself from him in that moment.

He mumbled his response before promptly falling back into a deep sleep.

Astrid took a deep breath as she walked out into the cold morning, the sun having not yet risen, the calm before the storm.

But by Odin would it be a fantastic storm.

* * *

They had set up the ceremony on the cliff side of Berk. Family, friends, and dragons gathered for the event. Smiling and crying, but mostly smiling, faces ready to welcome the couple.

Astrid's heart thundered as she approached the congregation, all eyes turning to face her as she walked forward. Hiccup was there just before the crowd waiting to walk his bride up to where Gothi would officiate the ceremony. Astrid admired Hiccup in his white tunic with gold accents, and chiefs furs, the gold cuffs around his wrists clanked against the ones around her own as he took her hand.

Hiccup took note of the fur coat over her own shoulders, white, with depictions of a nadder on the medallions that held it in place. But what really took his breath away was that her hair was down and dawned with a crown of flowers much like his own.

"You look... " He was at a loss for words as they walked towards Gothi.

"You too." She smiled and nudged him.

They stood and faced each other, the fond smiles they shared obvious to everyone.

At Gothi's silent request, they joined hands letting the elder place the marital tapestry over their joined hands wrapping them twice.

Astrid and Hiccup both took in a deep breath, gazing at each other. Gothi used her staff and tapped the couples hands thrice, officiating their union.

Their family and friends cheered, dragons roared, and Hiccup couldn't help himself but to disconnect their hands and pull her into a chaste kiss.

Astrid and Hiccup both smiled vibrantly as they gazed upon _their_ people. As Chief and Cheiftess.

* * *

The village was buzzing with excitement as they ushered into the great hall. A feast had been prepared to celebrate the union, Hiccup and Astrid sat at the head of the Chiefs table, their hands never leaving each other.

Sitting with their joined family, Valka and Gobber at Hiccup's left and Brenna with Dustin at Astrid's right, she felt her heart swell. She squeezed Hiccups hand tighter and touched their shoulders together.

An area had been cleared at the forefront of the hall for dancing, and a band had been playing throughout the night. But only once the mead and ale was flowing did anyone actually begin to dance. Smiling and laughing joyously, letting out shouts when the music peaked. It was fun to watch, and Hiccup would have been content to do so and just sit with his wife, but it seemed she had other plans.

Astrid had to drag Hiccup to join in but once he was there they danced well into the night. Their feet were sore before either was even beginning to think of sitting down. However, they remained there instead slowly swaying as drunken Vikings danced circles around them.

"Well Milady, how is married life treating you?" He smiled holding onto her waist as they continued to dance.

"So far?" Her cheeks were rosy from mead and the heat, they had both long since abandoned their coats. "Wonderfully." She swooned, Astrid Hofferson- no Haddock, swooned. Melting into her husbands chest.

"Is that the mead talking?" He teased receiving a lighthearted punch to his shoulder.

"Yes. No, just a little bit. But more so it's the love my husband has shown me every moment since we married." She spoke honestly, making the tips of Hiccups ears go red.

"Sounds like a great guy." He joked swaying her a little farther to one side and then the other.

"He is, he really is- Hiccup-" She cut herself off by kissing him repeatedly over the cheeks, lips, and chin.

"Hiccup! Astrid!"

Astrid turned her head lazily at hearing their names and so did Hiccup. Smiling when they saw Eret coming their way. He placed a hand to Hiccups shoulder when he reached them looking between the two of them seriously.

"It's Heather, for real this time." He told them his words eliciting brighter smiles from the both of them. "She went into labor shortly after the ceremony." He informed them.

 _Five hours ago_ , Hiccup voices mentally, not really sure where that stood on the normality of labor.

"Astrid, she's not doing well." That thought sobered her.

"What?" Astrid's smile fell and she relinquished her grip on Hiccups sleeve.

"She asked not to interrupt your evening, but it's not getting any better and she's struggling." There was sympathy in his voice clearly not wanting to interrupt them either, but acknowledging the need to.

"She's at my moms?" Astrid confirmed and when Eret confirmed the three of them were hastily making their way out the door.

* * *

Hiccup watched his wife disappear up the stairs, her wedding gown flowing after her and his heart clenched in anticipation. He could only stand by and watch, pray to Frigga that she would spare his friend.

Astrid was at Heathers side promptly along with Eret.

"W-why are you here?" Heather questioned through her pain, then looked to Eret. "I told you-" A scream tore through her as another contraction hit. She was left panting helplessly weakly accepting Astrid's hand on hers.

"Why wouldn't I be here? I want to meet my niece or nephew." Astrid hazily smiled.

"Have you been drinking?" Heather questioned smelling her breath.

"Only a little, it is my wedding." Astrid smiled as Heather sighed.

"Gods I wish I could drink right now." She moaned as a smaller contraction seized her.

"Push this baby out. Then we'll talk." Brenna told her from her spot between Heather's Legs.

Heather nodded weakly, looking like death once more. Eret and Astrid assisted in leaning her forward so she could bear down better. Another contraction seemed to be coming.

"Alright. 1. 2. 3. Push!"

* * *

Heather delivered the baby a few hours later looking worse for wear.

"It's a girl." Brenna announced after cleaning the baby off and wrapping her in a blanket.

She handed her to Eret who gaped at the little girl in his arms. Heather smiled weakly and peered at her daughter over Eret's arm.

"Erika." Heather croaked and Eret smiled.

"Erika, daughter of Eret, granddaughter of Eret." He whispered quietly and Astrid smiled through misty eyes at the sight.

She wanted to go tell Hiccup the news, but didn't want to leave Heather's side just yet. She looked so vulnerable and weak.

"Eret?" Heather spoke raising her arms for her baby.

Eret placed the babe into her arms and tears prickled on the surface of her eyes.

"My beautiful baby... Erika." She cooed letting the baby's tiny hand grasp her shaky finger.

Heather let out a deep breath and her breath eyes closed. They let her have her peace, holding her baby snuggly. It wasn't until Eret went to remove the baby from her arms that he realized something wasn't right. Astrid wasn't far behind.

"Heather?" Eret called, lifting Erika to his chest.

Astrid's eyes were glued on her chest. Which refused to rise with her breathing.

"Heather!" Eret yelled, startling Erika and causing her to begin wailing.

Brenna pushed her daughter aside and laid her head on Heather's chest listening for a heart beat.

There was none. Heather was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry! ...But character deaths are honestly my jam...


	14. Chapter 14: Forever

Astrid had been lifeless that night.

She'd sat there silently as Eret cried and tried to console his now motherless daughter. Brenna had covered Heather's lifeless body and gone to inform Hiccup.

He was awaiting news, sat with Dustin before the hearth a cup of tea in hand. When he heard the last step on the stairs creek, he turned expecting his wife, and expecting bright smiles. What he received was complete opposite.

"How are they?" He asked, but his foot began tapping and his fingers twitching, he knew.

"Erika, the baby, she's healthy. But Heather..." Her eyes were watery, a replica of her daughters. "I need you to take Astrid home. She'll sit there all night if you don't." She sighed remorsefully.

Hiccup nodded, eying the stairs wearily, not sure how she was going to react when he took her away. He entered Astrid's room, as he had done a few times before. Only this time his breath faltered at the sight of a body hidden under linen sheets.

 _Heather_...

He glimpsed Astrid, who had placed her hand over Heather's over top of the sheet. A cold stare in her eyes. He left her be for the moment, approaching Eret. Who paced and rocked his crying daughter, looking to be trying to collect his thoughts.

"Eret." Hiccup whispered placing his hand over Eret's shoulder, an action he had done for Hiccup so many times before. "Let me take her, for the night."

"It's your wedding night." Eret went to argue.

"Trust me, it's all right." He assured and Eret looked to Astrid understandingly. "Go home and get some rest. Valka will be around as well." Soothed, Eret placed the tiny infant into Hiccups arms.

It wasn't often that Hiccup held babies, but once he adjusted her he got the hang of it. He could already see the combination of Heather and Eret's ink black hair surfacing on her little head.

Eret slowly exited down the stairs, using the walls for support as he did. Brenna passed him on the stairs giving him a parting pat as he did. Dustin was waiting behind her.

 _To take care of her body_ , Hiccup realized.

"Astrid." He called softly placing a hand to her shoulder and rubbing gently.

She turned her head slightly to acknowledge him but didn't look up. She didn't need to be told what was happening, she knew. And she stood with all the strength and power of a warrior and a chieftess. When she stood and was eye level to the mostly soothed babe in his arms, she reached up with hesitant fingers to touch the little toes that peeked out from the blanket, causing the baby to flinch.

Hiccup smiled softly at the interaction and when Astrid wordlessly reached for the baby, Hiccup let her be taken from his arms. Eyes ahead, Astrid walked out of her room and down the stairs, passing her parents without even a glance. As Hiccup followed Brenna handed him a Leather flask filled with yak milk and a bottle.

* * *

When they arrived home Astrid stalked right up the stairs and into the bedroom while Hiccup stalled and watched her. Toothless, who had been awaiting their return, warbled for his attention.

"I know bud." He patted his head before following after the two of them.

Hiccup poured the milk into the bottle upon entering his room, placing the rest of the yak milk on his desk. Astrid was in the bed, baby Erika laid by her side sleeping fitfully, probably hungry.

"She should eat." Hiccup spoke as he sat on Erika's other side.

Astrid nodded and let him pick up the baby to be fed, watching intently all the while.

There were troubles at first, she didn't want to take the foreign object into her mouth, but surely she didn't know that it's contents would soothe her ailments. Eventually Hiccup got her to take the bottle and sighed in relief as she drank heartily.

Hiccup stood to rock and burp her and pretty soon she was fast asleep again. He'd set her on some furs that he laid out in a nice little pile for her to sleep on. Knowing he wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer.

"Hiccup." Came the soft call from back up on his bed.

He covered Erika up gently yet quickly and made it to Astrid's side.

She was crying now, silent tears streaming down her face. Hiccup was almost relieved, this was better than absolutely nothing.

"I'm here." He assured her and that's when she combust, curling in on herself and trying not to cry too loudly. Hiccup got into bed and pulled her back closer against his chest, wishing there was something he could do to make her feel better.

* * *

When Hiccup woke he was alone in the large bed, though the spot his arms hung loosely over where still warm from his bed partner. Sitting up groggily, Hiccup rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned. The sun shone brightly in his bedroom, so he knew he had slept through what was left of their night before, but it had certainly been too long for Erika to go without a bottle. He then noticed Astrid, seated with her back towards him, still in her wedding dress.

The sight made his heart thunder, but not so much as the sight of her leaning down to pepper a sweet kiss to Erika's plump little cheek.

Hiccup winced as he sat up, stiff, but he was expecting more pain from leaving his prosthetic on. It surprised him to see scared flesh instead of the metal device.

"I removed it early this morning." Astrid informed him.

"Thank you." He replied scooting over the side of the bed to reattach said prosthetic.

Once he could properly walk again he sat down beside her to coo at little baby Erika who had her little eyes squinted open to the best of her ability. They were dark, but he couldn't be sure exactly what color yet.

"How are you." He asked brushing her long fringe back behind her ear. She didn't look at him but he could see the dullness to her crystal blue eyes.

"Sad, obviously... but we could've lost them both." She reminded him and he silently agreed.

She finally raised her gaze to meet his.

"I'm sorry for... all of this." She gestured.

"You just gestured to everything." He teased and she rolled her eyes playfully, a lilt of a smile brought to her features.

"You know what I mean. It was our wedding night, if I had know everything was going to fall apart like that." Astrid's breath shuttered and her eyes fell again to the baby before them.

"Don't." Hiccup warned his calloused thumb rubbing a stray tear from under her eye. "None of it could be helped. We have forever."

She looked to Hiccup and visibly sighed closing her eyes and leaning forward to rest their foreheads together.

"It's so selfish." She shook her head rubbing their messy bangs together with the action. "I wanted you so much." She choked. "Not only for my own pleasure." She growled through her teeth and slapped a hand to her knee. "I wanted us to spend last night together in _our_ house, like a proper well adjusted married couple." She laughed wetly and he stroked another tear from her face.

"It's not selfish, I wanted that too. So much." He assured her hoping she could feel how much he meant it. "Other things just became more important in that moment." They both looked to Erika who was watching them intently. He took her hand placing it over his heart. "We have forever." He said again, solidifying his belief in that.

She nodded, even if she didn't exactly believe it.

* * *

Later that same day they had prepared the funeral. The boat sat tied to the dock, Heather's body wrapped in linen atop the hay laden pedestal.

In the time between last night and this morning, a weary Fishlegs had traveled between Berserker Island and The Defender of the Wings tribe to personally inform them of the tragedy. Fishlegs would never understand how grateful he was for his trusted friend's quick thinking.

Dagur was a mess, limp against Mala's back as she rode in on Triple-Strike. The pain in his eyes was unimaginable as he dismounted and met Hiccup's eyes across the way. The way he collapsed as he spotted the boat, Mala catching Dagur and holding him to her.

Eret stepped forward with his newborn daughter nestled against his chest wrapped up in a sling to keep her there. The gathering silenced as he stepped forward with his bow and placed it in the fire. Bucket nodded at his signal and untied the boat from the dock, pushing it away from the island.

"There do I see my father, my mother, and my brothers and sisters." As he spoke Hiccup and Astrid stepped in sync to do the same, preparing their bows and readying to aim. "They bid me take my place among them in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave shall live forever..." As Eret spoke Dagur seemed to compose himself, as much as he could anyway, and took his stance alongside them Mala joining her king silently. "May the Valkyries welcome you and lead you through Odin's great battlefield. May they sing your name with love and fury, so we might hear it rise from the depths of Valhalla. For a great woman has fallen today: a warrior, a mother, a friend." Eret croaked and steeling himself he drew his arrow with the line of family and fiends, and fired upon the boat.


	15. Chapter 15: Minx - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Explicit Sexual Content Warning

After the funeral, Hiccup made sure Dagur and Mala were settled in with Eret, who had suggested they stay with him so they could meet Erika. It wasn't until he arrived home and closed the door behind him that he let out a long sigh and knocked the back of his head against the wood door.

On tired feet he scaled the stairs to the second floor and entered his room, finding Astrid there stoking the small furnace to get rid of the chill.

"I'm back." Hiccup announced. Approaching Astrid from behind without making himself known had never bode well for him in the past.

"Hey." She stood and with a sad smile wrapped her arms around him.

"Hey." Hiccup kissed at her cheek lovingly. "Let me fix you a bath."

"Hiccup Haddock. What are you implying?" She turned to him in disbelief.

If he was being honest it was probably the fact that they were both still wearing their wedding garb that had prompted the suggestion. They must've been quite the sight at the funeral.

"Well, Astrid Haddock, if we're being honest here-" He received a well aimed elbow to the gut for his troubles.

* * *

After pulling the curtains shut on the lower level, he hauled a large bathing tub out into the middle of the room, set up in front of the hearth where the last bucket of water had already been set to boil, the other two already filling the tub halfway.

Astrid had moved one of the curtains aside and was glancing out the window but she wasn't looking down over Berk, she was looking further out on the horizon. Her arms circled in on herself as she watched the empty skyline dutifully.

"Alright." Hiccup announced taking the bucket away from the fire and setting it beside the tub to cool and be used to rinse after she soaked. He checked the temperature of the water once again to be sure it was right. Though his hands weren't really reliable for a test of heat. "Baths ready. Though I'd check the water to be sure." He set a thicker linen on the chair beside the tub along with several different soaps he had accumulated from traders.

She smiled as she eyed the bath, steaming pleasantly.

"So, I'm gonna step out while you..." he gestured between her and the bath.

"Why?" She questioned seriously.

"W-well because..." He didn't really have an adequate excuse for not staying while his wife bathed.

"Hiccup. I'd like you to stay. You've seen most of my by now, touched all of me." Astrid reminded him of the night they had almost spent together weeks ago. "In fact I demand you stay." She spoke determinedly.

Hiccup grinned inching closer.

"Really? Is there anything else you demand, Milady." He teased cockily but the front was betrayed by his reddened ears.

"Yes." She whispered and he noticed the quiver in her stance. "Stay with me." It was nearly a plea as she tried not to cry.

"Okay." He agreed and hugged her, just to hug her, but also as an excuse to dislodge the tiny clasps that held her dress together in the back.

She shivered as his warm fingers raked up her back for the first time in weeks. He traced her spine catching along her chest wrappings before his hands were at her shoulders taking the dress in his grasp and tugging the tight material down her slim arms. He kissed her nose sweetly as he let the rest of her dress fall to the ground and she stepped out of it.

Left in her chest wrappings and underwear she waited for Hiccup's shaking hands to find the courage to finish undressing her.

"Hiccup-"

"I'm going to do it." He shushed her complaint and almost angrily loosened her bindings.

He'd missed them, he realized as her breasts were exposed.

"Well done Hiccup." She teased. "But you've seen those before."

He grumbled at her, determined not to let her rush him.

He placed his hands on ether side of her neck angling her face so he could kiss her warmly. It was a rather sloppy kiss, but Astrid certainly didn't mind the lazy drag of their lips and the warmth of his tongue on hers. He kissed her passionately all while his hands mapped the contour of her body; from her collarbones, to the peak of her nipples, to her trim waist and defined abs. His hand tickled along her inward navel causing her to laugh softly into his kiss, then groan as his hands settled on the fullness of her hips. His fingers toyed with the edge of her linen briefs and he opened his eyes to meet hers as their lazy kiss was halted.

"I'm yours." She reminded him of their vow as a married couple eliciting a fire deep in his belly.

He slipped her underwear down letting them slide the rest of the way once they were past her hips and she stepped out of the material once again.

Being fully naked before Hiccup for the first time, she had to resist the urge to cover herself. It was too strange to watch his eyes glance her over and his face went hot all over again, so she covered her eyes.

"Hey." Hiccup called her from her hiding space and she peeked from between her fingers to look at him. "You're bath is getting cold.

Reminded of their initial task Astrid stepped over the edge of the tub and sank down into the water, aware of Hiccup's eyes on her every step of the way. She was also aware of how much the water burned at her skin on the way in, and was glad they had taken so long to get her undressed in the first place.

Astrid watched as Hiccup gathered her clothes to place on the chair beside her, avoiding her gaze. She lowered till her nose was just above the waters surface. Her hair was cascading all around her as she soaked in the large tub. Having bathed in a tub she could barely fit in all her life, this was a major improvement. She was able to sink all the way down if she so desired, looking at Hiccups tall, wiry body she was sure the both of them would fit in here together.

Now there was a thought.

"Hiccup?" She asked curiously.

"Yes Milady?" He responded and looked at her on instinct only to look away and head to stoke the fire in the hearth.

"Would you like to join me?" She leaned over the side of the tub towards him, watching his reaction carefully.

Hiccup was startled by her request glancing over at her, he tried to come up with a reasonable decline, but all his brain was giving him was a very firm: **Yes!**

But he wasn't so sure that was his brain speaking.

"Yes?" He choked out, surprised by the response that left his mouth.

She looked at him as if to sa _y; Well come on then._

Hiccups undressing was a lot less eventful than Astrid's had been. For one, he could focus on nothing but her persistent gaze, looking him over as he tossed his shirt, then his trousers, and kicked his lonely boot to the side.

His underwear was tented and both their gazes were on the tight bulge at his crotch. Astrid was eager and while she was embarrassed and blushing like mad she wanted this, wanted him, and refused to let her eyes linger from him for too long.

Hiccup could only describe the way she was looking at him as hunger, which was a similar feeling he felt in himself with each passing second.

He sat on the edge of the tub to remove his leg, realizing his mistake only after he'd done it.

"Great." He cursed as he tried to hold himself up on the too short tub with one hand and remove his underwear with the other.

"Let me help." Astrid spoke and raised to her knees in the tub. Arms reaching out to take hold of the sides of his briefs. "It's ok." She assured him as he hovered over her, both arms supported on the edge of the tub.

She kissed him softly as she removed his underwear in a similar fashion to how he had removed hers. He groaned and kissed her deeply as he was freed from the tight restraints. She only glanced down at his full nakedness momentarily, not wanting to embarrass him with her staring, fearful if she did he might get dressed again.

Instead she moved to the opposite side of the tub and waited for him to get in.

It was a graceful affair and soon Hiccup was submerging down into the tub with a hiss, eyes closing as he braced his arms on the sides of the tub. His legs brushed against the side of hers as they settled. She continued to watch him for any signs of discomfort, but when he looked at her and grinned they both started to laugh.

"So. Enjoying yourself husband?" She questioned and he sighed appreciatively.

"Yes, very much so. Wife." He shot back causing her stomach to flutter violently.

She stayed quite as he basked in the warmth of their shared bath, the goosebumps that had risen on his arms slowly fading. The only sound between them was the quiet drip of Astrid's fringe where it had earlier been submerged.

Suddenly his eyes were open and locked in on her. It caused her to shutter, and the warmth she felt to grow hotter inside of her.

"Could you hand me the soap?" Hiccup question inconspicuously and Astrid glanced behind her where the soaps had been placed.

She turned in the tub, standing on her knees again and reached the short distance to the chair. The action elongated the trim planes of her back, her bum only halfway in the water and fully on display. Hiccup had to bite his lip to stop from groaning, thankfully collecting himself before she turned back around.

"Here." She smirked and handed him the bar soap.

Astrid was no fool Hiccup reminded himself and shot her a glare.

"What?" She giggled biting down on her bottom lip.

"You know exactly what you did you little minx." Hiccup defended taking the rag from its place on the side of the tub and sudsing it up.

"Minx. That's a new one." Astrid sunk deeper into the tub as she watched him begin to wash his arms.

However, his actions halted momentarily, and he looked to be thinking very hard about something.

"C-..." He trailed off his eyes on her again, a timid look on his face. "Would you like help bathing?" He said and then instantly felt his face go ten times hotter. "N-not that you don't know how to bathe! I just thought-"

"You wash my back I wash yours?" Astrid supplied and Hiccup nodded meekly.

Without further instruction Astrid found herself moving closer, settling between his legs and crossing her legs over his knees. She moved her hair to the side to expose her back to him and he noted a mole on her spine that her breast bindings usually covered. Taking a deep breath he reminded himself that there was a fair distance between her and his manhood, there was no reason to get this excited.

Shaking the thought he got to work scrubbing the cloth over her back, grazing the side of her breast when he went too far, and actively avoiding brushing her bare bottom. Astrid could only roll her eyes, but also enjoy the subtle massage Hiccup was giving her, especially when he began cleaning her shoulders and down her slim arms.

"Okay." He announced once he had scrubbed and rinsed the area.

Astrid turned, displacing the bubbles that began to cloud the waters surface. Hiccup expected her to move back to the other side of the tub, but instead she sat back down on his thighs, closer this time, and exciting him further. She sudsed up the rag once more and this time dragged it across his pectorals.

"That's not my back." He made her aware and she grinned catching his eyes.

At his words she squeezed out the rag onto his shoulders and abandoned it, opting to use her hands instead. She ran them over his heavily freckled shoulders up his neck, and finally to his pecks where she placed them for a moment before opting to graze her thumbs over his nipples.

"Minx." He reaffirmed breathlessly and she laughed at him.

Hiccup sucked in a harsh breath as her fingers continued downwards, tracing the light impression of his ribs, the flatness of his stomach, and the peaks of his hip bones. Feeling how tense he was beneath her fingers she dragged her nails down his lower belly, causing her husband to stutter out a gasp.

"Astrid." He warned, and she realized again that she really didn't have to do much of anything to get him going.

"My turn." She muttered taking her hands off of him and allowing him to catch his breath.

He opted for the rag, which was no fun, and diligently washed her chest, mesmerized by their plushness. He made sure to wash other areas too including her arms, her stomach, over her shoulders, and just for fun ran the rag under her armpit earning a bust of laughter from the blonde.

She punched him in the gut.

Settling down Astrid once again tuned and let Hiccup rinse through her silky hair with a creamy soap. He lathered and massaged her scalp, all the while Astrid's head was tilted back and her eyes were closed in relaxation.

Using the spare water outside the tub he rinsed her hair and then dunked himself under for the same treatment. Astrid laughed as he surfaced, dark locks hanging in his eyes, curling slightly at the ends. She made him turn and washed his hair in a similar manner, only his took a lot less time, before rinsing with the fresh water.

"I'm starting to prune." Astrid announced as she laid back against the cool metal tub, hiccup leaning back on her, his head rested on her chest. He held the arm she had drawn around his neck, and his hand was placed on her thigh under the water.

"Do you want to get out?" Hiccup inquired, ready to move if she gave the word.

"No." She groaned, the bun her hair was tied in catching on the lip of the tub as she sunk down.

Hiccup sat up to turn and face her but he slipped and had to catch himself on the sides of the tub. His face was right up in hers when he opened his eyes, her hand on his chest to brace him.

"I'm-" He went to apologize, but silenced as Astrid's thigh came up over his lower back, and her hands instead of bracing against his chest came up to cup his neck.

"Stop being sorry." She smiled and tilted her head to capture his lips.

They kissed lazily in the tub for some time, Hiccups hand grasping the firmness of her thigh and pulling it tighter against him. Her bottom now rested on his thighs where he had crouched into a more comfortable position. Her hands fisted in his hair with a groan as, for the first time, their naked sexes grazed each other.

"Hiccup-" She panted into his mouth and it was swallowed up as he kissed her silent, teeth knocking every once in awhile.

The hand on her lower back pulled her closer as his hips thrusted forward, grazing her slick folds. He groaned, clutching at any soft skin he could find holding her closer.

Astrid's eyes nearly rolled in her head as his pelvis continued to press against her clitoris on every stroke. Gods this was amazing and he wasn't even inside her yet. She gasped loudly as his head caught on her entrance on one of the strokes. Not yet.

An almost animalistic growl left Hiccups throat and he found himself standing as best he could in the tub.

"H-Hiccup what are you-?" She scrambled to help him from where she had been tossed off him in his haste.

"I-I want to do this in our room. Like it's still our wedding night." Hiccup gasped and she couldn't help but noticed how painfully red his erection looked.

Understanding his request though, she assisted him out of the tub and, still incredibly naked, she let him lean on her as they walked up the stairs, leaving a wet trail behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll have to excuse me I can be such a cocktease at times, but don't worry you have your continuation; right where we left off.


	16. Chapter 16: Minx - Part 2

He wished he could have carried her in bridal style, like it really was their wedding night still. But as he was sopping wet and on top of that too impatient to bother with reattaching his foot, this was just as good.

In her own impatience Astrid practically threw him onto the bed, immediately finding her place atop his hips, and trying to find that same pleasant friction they had created in the tub. She was desperately rubbing their sexes together and didn't seem to mind her hair falling from her bun and slapping Hiccup in the face.

"Ow!" He cried and laughed as he cupped his injured eye.

"Sorry Hiccup." She muttered, nervousness catching up to her.

"It's ok." He returned lovingly, pulling her closer by her arms and stretching their hands together above his head bringing her closer so they were nose to nose, their lips grazing on every relaxed breath.

He used her relaxed state to his advantage, flipping her off of him and down to the bed. She sprawled out under him, hair splayed and soaking their bedsheets.

Sitting back on his calves, with her legs spread to either side of his, he eyed her exposed opening longingly.

"Don't stare like that." She whimpered trying to close her legs.

"It's mine remember." Hiccup reminded her of her own words and she snapped her mouth shut, stunned by his boldness.

Leaning over her he returned to kissing her sweetly, his tongue only pressing against the crease of her lips, inviting her to play. Astrid couldn't resist and threw her hands around his neck her lips parting and her own tongue joining in his game. Distracted by his mouth she must have missed when his hand began to creep up her thigh and trace a line up her crease.

She gasped at the sensation, legs now trying to pull him closer instead of block him off. Hiccup loved to watch her body react and was pleased by just how violently she could when he pressed his thumb against the tiny numb between her folds. Her back arched pleasantly off the bed and she rolled her hips into his hand, moaning into his mouth. He smiled against her kiss going for another gentle stroke along her crease before his Index finger was pressing against her opening.

She gave way easily, her natural slick allowing his finger to be swallowed in all the way in a second. He was amazed by her softness, only having been able to touch for a couple seconds last time before she was finishing. There was a slight pulse to her inner walls as he worked, curling and thrusting his fingers into her slowly loosening cavern.

"Another." Astrid broke away breathlessly, her head falling back on the bed in an open mouthed gasp, hands falling from Hiccups face to lay beside her head. She looked ethereal.

Following her command hiccup slowly maneuvered a second finger in, but it was a tight fit. Astrid's face tightened as he tried thrusting slowly, getting her virgin body to loosen around him, and it was only his fingers.

He suddenly grew nervous.

"Astrid, it's not too much right?" He asked rubbing his free hand over her thigh and it loosened its hold on him slightly.

"At first, but it's getting better." She assured him but the pinch in her brow was still there.

"You have to tell me babe, I don't want to hurt you." The worry in his eyes was sweet, but if she was being honest it irritated her just a little.

"I will Hiccup, just keep going." She spat through clenched teeth and he got the message.

She loosened up once more but Hiccup still wasn't pleased by the reactions he was getting. She was quiet and while he hadn't expected her to be loud there had been at least some sign she was enjoying herself earlier. Experimentally, he tried to push in another finger and she tensed arm grasping his painfully.

"It burns." She informed him and he nodded, retreating on that idea.

After a moment of gliding his fingers easily in and out of her entrance he was reminded of that little nub, her clitoris. With his thumb he gently swirled over it. The reaction was instantaneous, a whiney gasp and her back was arching off the bed once more, her hand now pulling him closer.

Swirling around her clit he was able to slowly insert a third finger, more like her own body just took him in all on its own accord. She was shaking now, the stimulation and stretch all too much for her to bear. Hiccup felt her walls begin to clench hard on the three digits and he grinded them deeper every time she loosened around him.

Before Astrid realized it she was finishing and her body continued to clench down on Hiccup's fingers in the aftermath.

She gasped soundly relaxing into the bed as she calmed down. Her eyes were closed peacefully and Hiccup just smiled, letting her relish in whatever she was feeling then. And when she opened her eyes, his breath caught in his throat and all the blood in his body seemed to rush down between his legs.

"Hiccup." She spoke seriously, her hands wrapping around his chest and her legs placed on the small of his back. "I want you."

Hiccup shuttered, mostly amazed by her stamina, but he probably shouldn't have been.

"Me too." He groaned and pressed his forehead to hers.

With keen precision, he blindly aligned himself with her entrance. A stunned gasp escaped the both of them and Astrid stuttered in nervousness, she was ready, but it was still beyond scary to finally be this intimate with someone. Let alone be intimate with Hiccup.

He slowly pressed forward, forcing her body to give way to him. And gods! He only had the head in and he was ready to combust, she was so warm and tight. Her walls clenched down as she tried to adjust to him, and only when she loosened did he push in further.

"Hiccup, wait!" She yelped as his hips jerked forward and he found himself met with more resistance. She clenched down tightly and her body refused to let go this time. She was shaking, her hands scraping along his back trying to grip onto his still wet skin.

"What do you need me to do Astrid?" He inquired, not liking the way her brows pinched together.

"Stay still. It's just... a little much." She opened her eyes and he nearly pulled out again at the sight of her tearful eyes. "Still Hiccup." She urged pressing her heel into his spine and rubbing her hands soothingly up his back.

After a moment of wiggling around and driving Hiccup absolutely mad with the urge to move, she relaxed around him and nodded silently for him to continue. The moment he started moving she tensed again and let out a distressed cry.

"Wh-"

"I don't know!" She cut him off with a yell, tears dribbled down her face.

"Does it really hurt that much?" He looked pale.

"It feels like I'm on fire. Frigga! I just want to be able to do this!"

At her distressed cry Hiccup pulled back and Astrid's eyes widened.

"Do that again." She commanded and Hiccup shot her a confused look. "Move like that again."

Cautiously Hiccup pressed forward, finding her brow pinching once more and then relaxing as he pulled back. He did that once more and found the pinch in her brow to be considerably less.

"I-I think that's it... you have to move, not stay still." Astrid's voice was still skeptical, but her mouth hung open in awe as he continued to gently move.

Testing, he pressed forwards more and she gasped. He thanked the gods silently for granting them easy passage over this obstacle.

They quickly began to loose themselves to pleasure. Hiccup's hips moved effortlessly now and he was able to devote some of his attention into kissing his wife.

It was sloppier than before, open mouthed and full of gasps and pants. Astrid's hands clawing down Hiccups back in her pleasure. Hiccup groaned, grabbing her upper thigh and hoisting It high on his hips. The new angle offered the advantage of more space to move and Hiccup used that.

"Oh sweet Frigga." Astrid mumbled in between breaths her own hips desperately rising to meet Hiccup's as he found a way to be impossibly deeper in her.

Between their chests grazing together, and his pelvis bone pressing into her clitoris on every downward stroke, Astrid was beginning to feel that same overstimulation from before. Her body climbed and reached for something still so far out of reach.

"Astrid." Hiccup groaned and burrowed his face into the crook of her neck.

"Just a moment longer..." She urged and he shook with the effort of resisting his own orgasm.

Hiccup growled against her neck and erratically bucked his hips into hers. She could feel him every time her body clenched down on him, and she could feel the slight pulse of his manhood.

Breathlessly, Astrid threw her head back and arched up into him. His hands around her waist held her there as he pushed them towards the brink.

"Ah, fuck!" Hiccup cursed startling Astrid, but before she could comment he was finishing deeply inside her, his hips set to a short grind.

The new feeling was definitely something she could get behind, and she relished in the quick little circular motion that ultimately brought her to her own release. It was less violent than before, but she was no doubt feeling it as a dopey smile graced her features.

They were both breathless and starting to ache from the position they kept. But that didn't deter the smiles on either of their faces.

Hiccup released her back onto the bed and laughed at the sight of her frizzy wavy hair, laying in all directions. But he wasn't much better off.

"Ok." She smiled and he nodded readying to pull out.

It burned slightly and even after he was gone she still felt rather... empty. But when Hiccup plopped down next to her on the bed, she forced her aching body to move so she could lay her head on his chest.

"That was..." Astrid searched for the words to explain it.

"A little tricky?" Hiccup suggested and Astrid nodded in laughter.

"But still amazing." She assured him.

"Yes, absolutely amazing." Hiccup sighed pulling her in by her shoulder. "Guess Snotlout can stop teasing me for being a virgin now."

"You are _not_ telling him anything." She smacked his chest hard and he flinched.

"Don't worry I won't go bragging about my conquests." He joked teasingly and she rolled her eyes.

They both knew he wouldn't be telling a soul the details of tonight. He would probably combust before he could even formulate the words.

They talked for hours about absolutely nothing until their tiredness overtook them and they fell asleep there in each others arms.

The last fleeting thought being of the mess they would have to clean up downstairs. But that could wait till morning.

* * *

When Astrid woke the next morning, she was oddly very cold. Not really cold, more like freezing.

"Hiccup." She grumbled and reached behind herself for her warm blooded husband.

Her hands landed on equally cold sheets and when she looked over her shoulder to wonder why he was so far away, she found herself alone in their bed.

Astrid sat up, pulling the linen sheets over her chest and looked around the room. Her wedding dress was hanging neatly on the back of Hiccup's desk chair, and his sketchbook was gone from its usual place on the corner of said desk.

Half heartedly she got out of bed, got dressed, and decided she might as well look for him.

Downstairs she discovered that the mess they had made was all cleaned up, the tub stowed away, and a plate of fruit and bread sat on the table, clearly waiting for her. She smiled to herself and ate a couple bites of the fruit before she decided to go out.

Stormfly squawked at her as she entered the stable, tilting her head to see her rider.

"Good morning girl. Did you see where Hiccup went off to?" She questioned rhetorically and scratched at the nadders chin, she trilled in appreciation.

Walking around the side of the house she aims her search towards the village, but something about the quietness of the morning has her looking behind herself, back into the woods.

Stormfly voices her displeasure at having stopped before she sees where her riders eyes are looking. Happily, she bounds in that direction Astrid is still considering going, making up her mind for her.

"This way? Alright then." She smiles and follows her nadder out into the woods.

He's at the cove, she discovers. It's been a long time since she's been down here, but she remembers the way like the back of her hand. She wonders how often Hiccup has taken refuge in this place.

Toothless is bounding around, drawing circles in the sand as his rider does the same in his sketchbook. She can see the smile of Hiccup's face from here.

Stormfly squawks, drawing their attention and flys up over the narrow path between two rocks, her big head wouldn't fit even if she tried. Toothless drops what he's doing to engage in a wrestling match with the bigger dragon.

Wordlessly Astrid approaches Hiccup and sits beside him at the water side. Her boots dig into the gravely sand and some of the larger pebbles fall into the water.

"Good morning Milady." Hiccup's voice is soft as not to disturb the otherwise quiet serenity of his secret place

"Morning." Astrid returns just as quietly taking his hand in hers.

He lets out a content sigh and pulls her hand to his lips. She rests her head on his shoulder and watches as the dragons chase each other on the other side of the small lake.

"You left." She shoots him a look and he rubs his neck nervously.

"Yeah, sorry. I meant to be back before you woke up. I couldn't sleep, so I cleaned up, but then I felt like drawing so I sat with you for awhile, but toothless got impatient so..." he rambled his explanation and Astrid smiled.

"I'm not mad." She assured. "I was just a little disappointed when you weren't there." She shrugged.

"I'm sor-"

She kissed him quiet her hand cupping his cheek lovingly. He smiled against her kiss and his hand found her waist bringing her closer. Hiccup fell back bringing her with him and she gasped, laughing once they were laying flat on the ground, Astrid's hands settling on his chest.

"I love you so much." He assured her, caressing her cheek.

"I love you too." She smiled, then her grin turned crooked. "Sap."

He gasped dramatically squeezing around her mid section and holding her there so he could kiss her neck. She erupted into shrieking laughter and their dragons eyed them skeptically.

In truth, Hiccup had done a lot of thinking that morning. About losing his dad, and now losing Heather. He didn't want to loose anyone else, more specifically he _never_ wanted to loose Astrid.

He would protect her with his life, and he knew that she felt the same. They would protect each other, and eventually the same for the family they would create. Together.


End file.
